Future Fishers Smoked Fish Expo Highlights Community-Led Fisheries Transformation
Playa Del Este, Salybia – 22 August 2025
The Expo demonstrated how underutilised species like Bonito, Catfish, Platto, Yellow Cro-Cro, and Bannan can be processed into smoked and salted products. These value-added options extend shelf life, improve marketability, and contribute to national food security.
Future Fishers Smoked Fish Expo Highlights Community-Led Fisheries Transformation
Playa Del Este, Salybia – 22 August 2025
Future Fishers hosted its Smoked Fish Expo and Competition at Playa Del Este, Salybia, bringing together stakeholders from across the fisheries, governance, and development sectors. The event marked a significant milestone in the organisation’s journey and showcased its expanding contribution to fisheries management in Trinidad and Tobago, which was supported by the Green Fund and the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme.
The gathering welcomed:
Several speakers at the Future Fishers Smoked Fish Expo underscored the urgent need to reduce Trinidad and Tobago’s food import bill. They highlighted the country’s vulnerability to external supply chains and the importance of strengthening domestic production. In this context, smoked and salted fish emerged as a viable and immediate opportunity. The speakers pointed to the abundance of underutilised local species—such as Bonito, Catfish, Platto, Yellow Cro-Cro, and Bannan—and emphasised that with proper processing, packaging, and branding, these species could be repositioned in the market. Smoked and salted fish not only offer longer shelf life and improved market value, but also align with cultural preferences and existing consumption patterns. The Expo’s demonstrations and cooperative initiatives showcased how fishers can lead this transformation, turning low-value catch into high-value products that contribute directly to national food security and economic resilience.
Unlocking Value in Underutilised Species
One of the critical findings from the Baseline Fisheries Assessment was the underutilisation of low-value species. Thirty-one species, together representing 17% of total catch weight, are often overlooked in local markets. However, five of these—Bonito, Catfish, Platto, Yellow Cro-Cro, and Bannan—make up 86% of this group and present a clear opportunity for economic development.
By supporting fishers with processing, packaging, and branding, Future Fishers has shown that these species can be transformed into marketable products. Demonstrations such as smoked fish processing highlight how value addition is creating new income streams.
The Troll Fishing Competition was another highlight of the day. Held on 17 August across Grande Rivere, Toco, and Balandra, the competition promoted selective fishing methods and fostered cooperation among fishers. Funded by the Green Fund, the event aimed to build a competitive yet collaborative fishing environment. Winners included Eric Miller of Toco (‘Bimbim’), who received a special prize for catching 28 fish, Junior Williams of Toco (‘Teddy’), who caught the most fish overall with 38 king fish, and Jonathan Hill of Balandra, who secured the top prize for landing the largest kingfish at 18.5 lbs.
