Earth Today | Iberostar moves to support local fishing

IBEROSTAR HOTELS & Resorts recently brought together stakeholders from across Jamaica’s tourism, fisheries, conservation and business sectors for a two-day technical workshop focused on strengthening the island’s blue foods sector and creating a more integrated and transparent approach to local seafood sourcing.

Held at the Iberostar Rose Hall Complex, the workshop explored how Jamaica can strengthen the connection between its fisheries and tourism industries, while addressing longstanding challenges that affect the ability of local fishing communities to consistently access the hospitality market.

Participants included representatives from the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), National Conservation Trust Fund of Jamaica, National Environment and Planning Agency, Environmental Foundation of Jamaica and Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, along with local seafood suppliers, fish sanctuaries, fishing communities and technical partners.

Representatives from Sandals Resorts International, GoldenEye, Grand Palladium, RIU, and Bahia Principe also participated, reflecting growing recognition that strengthening Jamaica’s seafood supply chain will require cooperation across the sector.

Blue Foods – foods derived from aquatic animals, plants and algae – are an important part of Jamaica’s food system and economy, supporting coastal livelihoods, food security and the tourism product. According to the NFA, more than 20,000 licensed fishers operate from 141 landing sites across the island.

Participants identified opportunities to strengthen the connection between local fisheries and the hospitality sector, including investment in cold-chain and storage infrastructure, improved post-harvest handling, greater consistency in supply and quality, and stronger traceability and certification systems.

Discussions also explored how creating greater value from each catch can support fisher livelihoods and meet the needs of the hospitality sector, while promoting the long-term sustainability of Jamaica’s marine resources.

“Jamaica has an opportunity to build a Blue Foods sector that creates greater value for fishing communities while strengthening the quality and resilience of the local seafood supply,” said Federico Cardona, Blue Foods global lead at Iberostar.

“Achieving that requires collaboration across the entire value chain, from fishers and suppliers to hotels, government and conservation partners. By bringing these perspectives together, we can better understand the opportunities that exist and identify practical areas where collective action and investment can make a meaningful difference,” he added.

Iberostar’s work in Jamaica includes the Grange Pen Fish Sanctuary, which was officially recognised by the NFA in March 2024, following more than four years of development. The sanctuary, co-managed by Iberostar, supports marine ecosystem protection, fish biomass and the livelihoods of surrounding fishing communities