Jamaica looks to raise fish in sea cages

Jamaica is casting its nets into the future of sustainable seafood production as the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining embarks on a pilot project for the mass cultivation of red snapper.

Spearheaded by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), the pilot is taking place at the Bowden Bay Mariculture Research Facility in St Thomas. It involves raising young red snappers in anchored sea cages, carefully monitoring their growth, survival, and environmental impact, with the aim of reducing pressure on overfished reefs and increasing access to healthy, locally produced protein for Jamaicans.

Dr Gavin Bellamy CEO of the NFA, said the project strongly supports the Ministry's 'FACE of Food' programme - which focuses on food security, agribusiness growth, climate-smart innovation, and export expansion.

"It aligns with the overall vision for the fishery sector. First of all, Jamaica is moving and wants to achieve food independence - that is the main thing," Bellamy said.

Bellamy, who toured the Bowden Bay facility on Monday, said the project also brings strong environmental benefits, helping to relieve pressure on Jamaica's natural reef systems while creating room for other species to thrive.

The push comes at a critical time. The FAO's June 2025 global assessment of marine fish stocks shows that 35.5 per cent of the world's fisheries are now overfished, underscoring the urgency of developing sustainable aquaculture systems like Jamaica's red snapper pilot.

"This helps us to reduce the stress initially on our reef fisheries, allowing our reef fisheries to rejuvenate, to increase sustainability for reintroduction of certain species. If we do this correctly, we can do import substitution and go into export," he said.

Bellamy revealed that the Red Snapper Pilot is now over 70 per cent complete, with the next phase set to see fingerlings transferred to anchored sea cages, where they will grow under careful monitoring of survival rates, growth, and environmental performance.