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September 15, 2026 | CCCCC Press Release 013
Roseau, Dominica — More than 21,800 people, including fisherfolk, boat owners, processors and coastal communities across Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago are set to benefit from a new USD 12.55 million Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded regional initiative aimed at building climate and disaster resilience in the fisheries sector. The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and regional and national partners, launched the Climate Change Resilience in the Caribbean Fisheries Sector Project (CC4FISH-II) at an Inception Meeting held in Dominica on September 15, 2026 to scale up regional intervention in the fisheries sector through 2030.
The project will build on the foundation established by CC4FISH between 2017 and 2022, when the initiative worked across seven Eastern Caribbean countries to assess the fisheries sector’s vulnerability to climate change, strengthen the capacity of fisherfolk and aquaculturists, and advance the integration of climate adaptation into fisheries governance and planning. CC4FISH-II responds to the escalating negative impacts of climate change on Caribbean fisheries, leading to depleting fish resources, loss of marine biodiversity and degradation of the Caribbean Sea habitats which affect the food, income and economic development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean. Funded through the Global Environment Facility (GEF), CC4FISH-II will work directly with small-scale fisherfolk, boat owners, processors, vendors, traders and coastal fishing communities across five Caribbean countries, with particular attention to strengthening opportunities, leadership and livelihood resilience for women and youth.
Speaking at the Inception Workshop, Dominica’s Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy, Honourable Lakeyia Joseph said:
“No single country can address these climate change challenges alone. We therefore welcome the opportunity provided by CC4FISH-II to deepen collaboration among countries of the Eastern Caribbean…We must ensure our fisherfolk, fisheries officers and other stakeholders have access to knowledge, tools, technology and training necessary to operate sustainably in an increasingly challenging climate.”
Dr. Renata Clarke, FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean said:
“CC4FISH-II represents an investment in the future of the Caribbean. It demonstrates the power of regional collaboration in addressing shared challenges facing the Caribbean’s fisheries sector. Together, we can strengthen resilience, protect marine resources, and create lasting benefits for communities throughout the region.”
For Caribbean communities, the fisheries industry provides food security and income for people and contributes to economic development in the region, through tourism and other sectors, yet is increasingly exposed to changing ocean conditions, extreme weather events, ecosystem degradation and damage to critical fisheries infrastructure. CC4FISH-II will respond through practical investments and interventions, including climate-smart vessels and infrastructure, restoration of critical coastal ecosystems so marine life can remain safe and protected, strengthened fisheries planning and disaster risk management, and improved access to financial and insurance services for fisheries stakeholders.
CCCCC Executive Director Colin Young, PHD, said:
“Through improved infrastructure, enhanced access to climate-smart fishing practices, and strengthened community-level capacity, we are working to protect and improve livelihoods. We are focused on ensuring that when climate events occur, our fishing communities are not only better protected but also possess the tools to recover faster and adapt more effectively.”
CC4FISH-II aims to help Caribbean fisheries adapt to climate change for the long term, using an ecosystem-based approach. The work is organised around four main areas:
- Climate-ready boats and infrastructure to provide safer, stronger, more fuel-efficient fishing vessels, and making fish landing sites, processing facilities, and markets better able to withstand climate impacts.
- Restoring and monitoring ecosystems by working with communities to restore damaged coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds, and improving ways to track the health of coastal and marine ecosystems.
- Better policy and financing aimed at building climate adaptation and disaster risk planning into fisheries policy at the national and regional level, and helping fisherfolk get access to insurance and financial services
- Sharing knowledge by capturing and spreading best practices and lessons learned through a regional Community of Practice, enabling solutions developed in participating countries to inform wider Caribbean action.
By combining innovative technologies with revitalised traditional practices, CC4FISH-II is helping Caribbean fisheries move toward greater resilience, building sustainable livelihoods and strengthening communities’ ability to withstand shocks like climate change.
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About the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC).
The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre is an intergovernmental organisation established by the Heads of Governments of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to coordinate the region’s response to managing and adapting to climate change. The CCCCC also serves as a delivery partner for climate finance for the region, a repository for regional climate change information and data provider of climate change-related policy advice and guidelines to the CARICOM Member States.
