Jamaica Launches First-Ever Marine Fish Farming Pilot with FAO Support

For the first time in Jamaica, marine fish farming is being piloted through a cage mariculture project, under the Shrimp and Red Snapper Pilot Grow-Out within the CARICOM initiative – marking a groundbreaking step for the country’s blue economy. Implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in close partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Mining’s National Fisheries Authority (NFA), the initiative forms part of FAO’s wider Caribbean program to pioneer marine finfish and crustacean farming across the sub-region.

With an investment of approximately J$ 63 million covering the red snapper grow-out pilot in Jamaica and shrimp grow-out pilots in Saint Lucia and Saint Kitts and Nevis, the project is designed to strengthen regional capacity in marine aquaculture while providing sustainable solutions to declining wild fish stocks.

At the centre of project, a new marine laboratory has been constructed at the NFA Bowden Harbour facility in St. Thomas to serve as a hub for research, training and technical support. To date, red snapper fingerlings have been successfully imported, and two 12-meter cages have been built, moored, and launched in Bowden Harbour.

During the installation phase, NFA technical officers received training from international mariculture experts in cage construction and marine finfish farming techniques. NFA divers were also trained in mooring and launching finfish cages, a critical step in preparing for the transfer of red snapper juveniles into the grow-out system.

The next phase will see these fingerlings transferred into the cages to begin the grow-out cycle, with close monitoring of growth, survival and environmental performance.

FAO’s latest global assessment of marine fish stocks, released in June, shows that while 64.5 percent of fisheries remain within biologically sustainable limits, more than a third (35.5 percent) are now overfished. These findings underscore the urgency of expanding sustainable aquaculture as a complementary source of seafood production.

FAO Representative for Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize,  Ana Touza, emphasized the role of innovation in tackling future food challenges. “This project represents a shift in how we think about food security. By integrating technology and science-based approaches into marine aquaculture, we are opening new pathways to produce healthy, high-quality seafood while reducing pressure on wild fish stocks. It’s about creating a resilient, sustainable sector that nourishes our people, protects marine ecosystems, and supports economic growth.”

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Floyd Green, described the project as a “historic step for Jamaica,” saying it allows the country to take “decisive control of our food security and pioneer a new frontier for our blue economy.”

NFA CEO Gavin Bellamy noted that the successful deployment of Jamaica’s first marine finfish cages marks the dawn of a new era for fisheries. The project includes capacity-building for NFA staff, with international experts training local officers in cage construction, mooring, and marine finfish farming techniques.

Highlighting the project’s capacity-building focus, Project Manager, Mohamed Diop noted that skills transfer is just as critical as fish production. “This pilot is about more than producing fish, it’s about building lasting capacity. Through the construction of the marine laboratory and offshore cages, and by pairing NFA staff with international experts, we are ensuring that Jamaica gains the skills and infrastructure needed to lead its own mariculture industry into the future.”

Beyond the technical trial, the initiative aims to create new livelihood opportunities for coastal communities and advance regional expansion of aquaculture as a sustainable source of income.