Recent Changes in the Cuban Fisheries Management Structure
By Chuck Adams, Anicia E. Garcia Alvarez and Placido Sanchez Vega
ABSTRACT
The Cuban seafood industry has long been an important supplier of certain high valued seafood products for the world market. In addition, the industry has historically played an important role in providing seafood products for the domestic markets in Cuba. Assistance from the Soviet Union during the 1960-70s led the development of a large distant-water fleet, which produced primarily low-valued seafood products for the domestic markets. The traditional, yet better organized, nearshore fleets continued to produce high-valued species for the export markets. The loss of Soviet assistance in the early 1990s dramatically affected the manner in which the Cuban fishing industry is managed and conducted. The passage of Decreto Ley 164 in 1996 ushered in a number of changes in the management strategies for the Cuban commercial fishing industry. The management of the nearshore fleet, associated service industries, and the processing sector is being conducted in a more decentralized manner, for example via the creation of autonomous producer associations. This strategy allows much more control by fleet operators over the various harvesting activities. The Cuban fishing fleet now concentrates on the production of high-valued species such as spiny lobster, shrimp, reef fish, tunas, sponges, and others. The prospect of renewed trade with the US has important implications for harvesters, processors, and consumers both in the US and Cuba.
Keywords:Cuban fishing industry management
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