The 2026 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries is expected to provide valuable data to guide the development of the fisheries sector.

Enumerators are currently in the field collecting information from farmers and fishers, with field activities continuing through October 30th.

 Senior Fisheries Assistant Shermine Glynn-Johnson said the information gathered will provide the basis for more effective planning in relation to the fisheries sector.

Mrs. Johnson stated: "So, firstly, we have new entries into the fishing industry, so you would want to capture that information to know who those persons are. Then we have those who are retired; we would like to capture that information as well. And then we have some who died and we don't know, so we want to capture that information as well, so that we can have a proper count of how many fishers and fish handlers we have in the industry. And then we would like to know where they are; in terms of disasters, we want to know how fast we can reach them and the best way possible we can help them to rebuild after a disaster. So this information is very important."

Mrs. Glynn-Johnson said the enumerators will be asking simple questions in an informal environment.

She further added: "For the fisheries part of it, we send the enumerators where the fishermen are most comfortable, around the beaches where they gather, because most of the time if you go to their homes, they are not at home. So, they are in their environment so they can sit and answer without any intimidation or anything like that; so they would meet them there. The questions are straightforward: if they are a fisher? What type of fishing they do? If they are a crew member aboard somebody else's boat? If they are a captain? If they are an owner? If they are a fish handler in the industry? Simple questions, not anything for them to be worried about."

The Agriculture and Fisheries Census is being implemented by the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with funding from the World Bank.

This census collects vital information about farms and fisheries, including land use, crops, livestock, and fishing practices.

SOURCE: National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC Radio)