Just to get away from the Cayman Islands political crisis for this Editorial today. I have a very fishy question to pose.

You will have noticed our frequent reporting of releases we have received from Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and it may not have escaped your notice that the Cayman Islands is one of the few Caribbean countries that is not a member.

The CRFM was set up by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat to which the Cayman Islands is an Associate Member.

CRFM was established in 2003 to further develop the Region’s institutional capacity in the fisheries sector.

Three bodies together make up the Mechanism. These are: a ministerial body, a Fisheries Forum (the main technical and scientific decision-making body) and a Fisheries Technical Unit or Secretariat.

CRFM promotes the sustainable use of fisheries and aquaculture resources in and among Member States, by developing, managing and conserving these resources in collaboration with stakeholders to benefit the people of the Caribbean region.

Its membership includes all CARICOM countries, as full members. Other countries and territories in the Caribbean may join the Mechanism as Associate Members.

CRFM is headed by an Executive Director, Milton Haughton,

I asked Mr. Haughton if the Cayman Islands had ever been invited to join the CRFM or ever asked to join? This was his reply:

“Cayman was invited to the series of regional workshops in Jamaica between 5-12 December but unfortunately could not attend.

“The Cayman Islands is neither a member, associate member nor observer of the CRFM. However, we do hope that in future we will be able to work more closely with the Cayman Islands to address issues of mutual interest regarding sustainable use, management and conservation of the fisheries resources and marine ecosystems in the region, because the Cayman Islands are not unlike most Caribbean Islands in terms of the size and nature of the fisheries and the needs of the local fishermen.

“In addition to the CRFM which is an inter-governmental organisation, there is a regional network of fishers organization, the Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisation (CNFO), that the Caymanian fishermen themselves should consider joining.”

I have to ask why have we ignored this organization?

We have a Cayman Islands Angling Club (www.fishcayman.com) that is member of the International Game Fish Association and The BillFish Foundation and both organisations have conservation programmes, especially the BillFish Foundation.

On going to the fishcayman website the latest news posted on the site was George Poveromo’s World of Saltwater Fishing. January 2012, and an announcement of the Cayman Islands International Fishing Tournament 2013 with Fishing Days April, 25-28, 2013.

There was nothing about the very important CRFM December series of regional workshops in Jamaica this media house covered.

Isn’t it better to join an organisation that caters for the concerns of fishermen that is nearer home  – THE CARIBBEAN?

I am sending the Cayman Islands Angling Club a copy of this Editorial and hope I get back a response.

If not, it will definitely look fishy?