How $1.25 million Rainforest Seafoods and UWI AHML FAD's will protect ParrotFish, Coral Reef and Tourism

“At Rainforest, our operations have been guided by the highest environmental standards. We are constantly updating ourselves on developments that may threaten our marine ecosystems, both regionally and internationally. This is part of our ongoing effort to identify best practices that will both sustain the livelihood of our fishermen and protect the longevity of our marine resources”

CEO of Rainforest Seafoods, Brian Jardim, on their partnership with UWI AHML to protect ParrotFish

Finally, some concern is being shown about the ParrotFish!

Rainforest Seafoods Limit and the UWI AHML (University of the West Indies Alligator Head Marine Lab) are now teaming up on ParrotFish conservation as announced in the article “Rainforest Invests More Than $1m In Parrot Fish Conservation Project”, published Monday June 6, 2016, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Their partnership, worth some $1.25 million, will see the implementation of the following:

1.      Implement protective measures for the highly threatened reef fish e.g. Parrotfish

2.      Training local fishermen in environmentally sustainable practices

So why is Rainforest Seafoods doing this?

Rainforest Seafoods and UWI AHML FAD - Protecting ParrotFish to protect the Coral Reef and Tourism

This partnership is being built on their previous Eat Them to Beat Them project in 2012, which encourages Jamaicans to eat the LionFish in order to reduce their population as noted in my blog article entitled “National Lionfish Project reaps 66% reduction as NEPA's MTIASIC suggests Commercial Lionfish Farming”.

Dr Dayne Buddo, marine ecologist and lecturer at the UWI, who started the project, will be involved in the installation of FAD (fish aggregating devices) to attract fish farther from the shore, such as the mahimahi, tuna and jacks.

Local Fishermen will be trained to use the FAD's thereby participating in making their livelihood sustainable by protecting ParrotFish and other reef fish that maintain the reef as pointed out in my blog article entitled “How Parrotfish and Sea Urchins ban saves Coral Reef, Beaches and US$3 billion Jamaican Tourism”.

CEO of Rainforest Seafoods, Brian Jardim's company has also gone a step further by no longer importing, producing or selling ParrotFish. This as the ParrotFish are essential to the long-term health of the Reef as well as the sane, producing some 800lb of sand to build up the branch as note d in the article “Parrotfish ban?”, published Wednesday, July 09, 2014  by Kimone Thompson, The Jamaica Observer.

This loss of Parrotfish would also affect the local Fishstock, which is of main concern to the CEO of Rainforest Seafoods, Brian Jardim: “The survival of parrot fish will not only be vital to the protection of our invaluable coral reefs, but will foster a healthier and more productive ecosystem for local fishermen”.

The survival of the Coral Reef is more important than ever, as this summer the Reef is expected to experience a major Bleaching Event that may devastate the Coral Reef and affect Tourism as noted in my blog article entitled “Why NOAA Caribbean Coral Reef Watch prediction of Coral Reef Bleaching requires ParrotFish Ban”. 

Still, thus isn't a total Parrotfish Ban as I'd hoped for in my blog article entitled “How a Parrotfish Ban with Lionfish replacement will save Coral Reefs”. But at least Rainforest Seafoods will not be selling ParrotFish, sending a strong signal to the Government of Jamaican on where they stand on the protection of the Environment!