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Dear CNFO Members, Partners, and Friends,
As 2025 comes to a close, we pause to reflect on a year marked by perseverance, learning, and renewed commitment across the Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations (CNFO).
This year presented real challenges for fisherfolk and for the network. Extreme weather events caused damage to livelihoods and infrastructure, while shifts in funding and project implementation required CNFO to adapt quickly and refocus its efforts. Despite these pressures, the network remained active and committed to advocating for the rights of Caribbean fisherfolk.
Throughout 2025, CNFO continued to engage meaningfully at national, regional, and international levels. Capacity building remained a central priority. The 2025 CNFO Leadership Institute brought together twenty-nine (29) fisherfolk leaders from across the region to strengthen skills in leadership, advocacy, governance, communication, and organizational management. This investment in fisher people continues to be one of CNFO’s strongest tools for building resilient and effective fisherfolk organizations.
As we look ahead, 2025 has laid important groundwork for the future. In 2026, CNFO will mark its 10th anniversary—ten years of regional cooperation, advocacy, and solidarity in support of Caribbean fisherfolk.
On behalf of the CNFO Board and Secretariat, I extend sincere thanks to our members, partners, allies, and supporters for your continued trust and collaboration. We move into 2026 with purpose and collective strength.
In solidarity,
Devon Stephen
Chair
CNFO
Melissa, the Category 5 hurricane that battered #Jamaica in late October, hit coastal communities the hardest. Boats battered, traps vanished, engines drowned, gear washed away. But the fisherfolk didn’t wait for help; they started rebuilding from the moment the skies cleared.
They shared tools, shared food, shared grief.
Here are pictures of three fishing vessels that once rested at the Black River wharf. They were spotted two miles up the river. The storm surge from Hurricane Melissa had torn them from the dock.
📢 October 2025 Newsletter is out!
This issue marks #12 in our series proudly sponsored by #WhyHunger.
Throughout these 12 editions, we featured the “SSF Guidelines Corner,” helping readers get to know the FAO Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines: www.fao.org/voluntary-guidelines-small-scale-fisheries/en/
👉 Click here to read the October 2025 issue: cnfo.fish/fisherfolk-net-october-2025/
#CNFO #FisherfolkVoices #WhyHunger #SSFGuidelines #CaribbeanFisheries
Fisherfolk Net October 2025 - Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations
cnfo.fish
Fisherfolk Net October 2025Share:ShareClick to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...Nadine Nembha...🐟🌊 𝑾𝑬𝑨𝑹 𝑩𝑳𝑼𝑬 𝑭𝑶𝑹 𝑾𝑶𝑹𝑳𝑫 𝑭𝑰𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑬𝑺 𝑫𝑨𝒀
Show your love and support for our fishers and the marine sector as we celebrate World Fisheries Day tomorrow, November 21.
#worldfisheriesday #fisheries #wearblueday #marineconservation #fisherfolk
CEO BEVERLY WADE HONORED WITH ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
Belize’s marine conservation leader, Beverly Wade, has been awarded the prestigious Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of her decades of dedicated service.
The Ministry of Blue Economy and Marine Conservation praised Wade for her transformative work in sustainable fisheries management and her unwavering leadership in protecting Belize’s marine environment.
The award was formally presented during the visit of Her Royal Highness Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, reflecting the international respect Wade has earned for her contributions.
#BelizeNow
Mavis George has over 35 years of experience in the fishing community in #Antigua and #Barbuda at various levels, including management, marketing, seafood processing, and finance.
She also has 13 years of experience serving as a Director on the board of a commercial bank.
Ms. George holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, a Bachelor of Arts in Management, a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting, a certificate in Seafood Technology, and certification in Management, Marketing and Processing of Seafood from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). She also holds HACCP certification and a ServSafe Food Safety Certificate. Ms. George is a certified and accredited Director.
She is a proud member of both the CNFO and the World Forum of Fisher Peoples. Ms. George is passionate about improving the quality of the fishing sector, having managed a seafood corporation for over 30 years. She now owns her own business within the sector, offering financial advisory services, business plan development, and marketing of seafood and fishing gear.
🎉 CNFO Members Are In for a Special Treat! 🎣📚
We’re getting an exclusive look at Sandy Ground Tales: Fisher Men, the newest book in the Sandy Ground Tales Series!
This compelling release features two beautifully illustrated and inspiring stories rooted in the rich fishing heritage of Sandy Ground, Anguilla. 🌊⚓
It celebrates the people, places, and legacies that continue to shape our coastal communities.
🗓️ Official launch coming soon!
Stay tuned as we honour Anguilla's traditions through storytelling. 💙👣
✍🏽 Avenella K. Griffith
Writer, Sandy Ground Tales Series
#InternationalFisherWomen2025
Understanding the issues with the ban on the export of fish from Grenada to the USA beginning 1 January 2026.
Understanding the ban on fish exports from Grenada to US | NOW Grenada
nowgrenada.com
This is significant because, in many respects, the US has been the main export destination for our fish, providing a ready market for yellowfin tuna, in particular, and earning millions in foreign exchange for our economy every year.The Gillings Gully Fisherfolk Cooperative is seeking support to rebuild after the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, which severely affected coastal communities across Jamaica.
Email: cnfo_cu@yahoo.com
(Sharease Cephas, Bahamas) - Before I begin, I want to take a moment to send love, prayers, and strength to our brothers and sisters in Jamaica 🇯🇲.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” — Psalm 46:1
In the wake of recent challenges, we stand firmly in solidarity with you. Jamaica is a nation known for its unwavering strength, resilience, and faith — qualities that have carried its people through many storms and will do so again. Even in the darkest clouds, God’s light still breaks through. 🌤️
🌊✨ Honoring Bahamian Fisherwomen — and Women of the Sea Everywhere ✨🌊
Today, I want to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the strength and resilience of our Bahamian fisherwomen, and women in fisheries across the world.
Here in The Bahamas, only a small percentage of women work directly at sea — yet their impact is profound. Whether casting nets or managing businesses, our women stand strong in a field often seen as male-dominated.
Their days are long, the work is hard, and the recognition is often too little — but still, they rise. 💪🏽
To every woman who braves the ocean, who endures hardship, and still greets each day with courage and faith — you are the backbone of our fishing communities. You remind us that true strength is measured not by ease, but by endurance and purpose.
⚓️ Women’s Crucial Roles in Bahamian Fisheries:
1️⃣ Financial Management & Accountability – handling budgeting, payroll, and regulatory compliance.
2️⃣ Business Administration – overseeing licensing, logistics, and export operations.
3️⃣ Data & Reporting – tracking catches and performance to support sustainable fisheries.
4️⃣ Seafood Processing – cleaning, filleting, sorting, and packaging for local and export markets.
Behind every boat and every catch, there are women ensuring our fisheries thrive — in the books, on the docks, and on the waves. 🌺
You are seen. You are valued. You are appreciated. 💙🌊 #Faith #Resilience #WomenInFisheries #JamaicaStrong #BahamianPride #Solidarity #FishingCommunities