Office of Auditor General Recommends Implementation of Fisheries Act

The Office of the Auditor General has recommended the enactment of the Fisheries Act.

It says this would help improve the government of Montserrat’s fisheries data collection system.

In its Audit Report the OAG states that the consistent enforcement of the Act, including the registration of fishers, the certification of fishing boats, the collection of relevant fees, and effective inter agency co-operation with the Marine Unit, the Customs Division, and the Port Authority, will safeguard Montserrat’s waters.

The Office of the Auditor General also recommends adjusting the Fisheries Technician working hours, a dedicated transportation for the Fisheries and Ocean Governance Unit, and a comprehensive upgrading of the approach to fisheries management.

This includes the monitoring of all four landing sites, the precise measuring and recording of catches, and co-ordination with fisher folk.

According to the OAG, the implementation of recommendations will bring significant improvements.

The full audit report highlights several other findings, recommendations and management response. 

The Audit Report entitled A Post-Implementation Benefits Audit of FISHCANA Fisheries Data Management System was presented to the Legislative Assembly on 26 July, 2022. 

The Ministry of Agriculture lost all of its historical fisheries data being housed by the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism’s database in 2013.  

Consequently, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, in partnership with the UK Government,initiated a project namely, the fisheries data management system called FISHCANA.

It is aimed at aimed at improving Montserrat’s capacity to store, to manage, to use and to analyse data.