Fisheries Ticketing System Set for September Launch Under NFA–TAJ Partnership

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, acting through the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), expects to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) and the Ministry of National Security and Peace by July. The arrangement will connect the NFA to the Traffic Information Management System so that authorised officers can levy tickets for designated fisheries violations.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, disclosed the plan on Wednesday (May 13) while addressing the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

“What does this mean? It means that when enforcement officers stop [offenders], instead of sending them to court, they can issue them with a ticket, they can pay their ticket, and they can continue to do what they are doing,” he said.

He said several existing legal breaches would fall under the ticketing regime, including failure to report a lost fishing vessel, failure to store fishing gear properly, and failure to cooperate with a lawful inquiry. “So, we are going to be bringing in some of the offences under the system, like failing to report a fishing vessel that is lost, failing to store fishing gear, failing to comply with a lawful inquiry… all of these things that are already in the law, we’re going to make them ticketable offences. We don’t want them to break the law but with these offences, they can pay the ticket, save some time and move on. We plan to launch this in September of this year,” the Minister added.

Mr. Green warned that anyone who does not settle the penalty would have to answer in court on the assigned date, where sentencing would rest with the judge.

On spiny lobster, he told members that rules are now in force to allow fuller use of the resource across the calendar, including periods previously treated as closed. He stressed that harvesting lobster during the closed season is still unlawful, while lobster taken legally in the open season and recorded as required may reach the market.

“Additionally, we have to do some more in fisheries management. So I’m putting the industry on notice that we will have to start moving now to deal with the size of the fish that we catch. If they are too small, we have to put them back. We have done significant consultation and what we’re now going to be moving to do is to do regulations that stipulate the size of the fish. We have the enforcement officers that are now there who are saying to the fishers… ‘help us to help you’. It doesn’t make sense that we destroy what we benefit from,” Mr. Green said.

The Minister also told the Lower House that upgrading fisheries infrastructure remains a government focus. Fishing beaches, he said, anchor day-to-day activity across the industry.

He reported that in the past year roughly $88 million was spent improving facilities at Black River, Portland Cottage, Pagee, and Salem. Works covered fish markets, gear sheds, and restrooms, along with sewerage improvements and solar lighting to make the sites safer.

This year, repairs at the Whitehouse Fishing Beach complex—hit by Hurricane Melissa—are budgeted at about $34 million.

“We have acquired two additional properties, one in Braham Wharf in Westmoreland, the other in Green Island in Hanover, to set up two new fisheries offices. We’re going to continue our boat programme; we’re going to be doing 20 boats and 20 engines each year. We’re also going to be establishing two additional fuel depots, one in Trelawny and one in Portland, so that our fishers do not have to have to go too far to get their fuel,” Mr. Green said.