fp Turks and Caicos

Hotels, restaurants and other businesses must now submit monthly reports on sales of conch to enable the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources to determine how much conch is taken each year from the nation’s fishery.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are a major exporter of queen conch (Strombus gigas) to the United States. The Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) monitors the TCI for sustainable use of conch.

Since the 1990s, the TCI has managed the queen conch fishery using catch quota or total allowable catch. However, that only measures the amount of conch that is exported, not the amount that is consumed locally. Without information on domestic consumption, an accurate assessment of the fishery isn’t possible.

“If this strategy is to continue, domestic consumption will be depleted for export purposes,” DECR said in announcing the new reporting requirement. “The DECR wishes to ensure that domestic consumption continues without restrictions. However, that requires information be obtained from the domestic sector.”

Since 2004, the DECR has made attempts to gather domestic information on domestic marine products, but data collection strategy has been met with resistance. Recent recommendations by DECR and various stakeholders were granted by His Excellency the Gov. Ric Todd in November and took effect Dec. 1.

Section 3 of the Fisheries Protection Ordinance

23 (3) “The owner or operator of every hotel, restaurant, shop or similar commercial establishment who purchases or sells marine product shall upon a request made by him by a Fisheries Officer in writing submit to the Fisheries Officer an accurate statement as to the quantity of weight of marine product, frozen or otherwise, in his possession at the date of the statement within 24 hours of the request.”

23 (4) “The owner or operator of a hotel, restaurant, shop or similar commercial establishment who fails to submit to the Fisheries officer an accurate statement in accordance with paragraph (3) shall be guilty of an offence.”

DECR is requesting that monthly statistical forms be completed by each restaurant, hotel, shop and similar commercial establishment and submitted by the first of each month for the previous month.

“Please be proactive in the TCI and assist the DECR with ensuring a domestic marine product for retail in your establishment,” DECR said.