Dominica: Ministry of Agriculture plans to host Sea Moss Cultivation Training 

Roseau, Dominica: The follow up training sessions to the Sea Moss Cultivation Training held on March 2 and 3 are to be held in the coming weeks. The Ministry of Agriculture is planning to conduct the sessions soon.

Significantly, the construction and deployment of artificial reefs and the training in value addition of fish have already been conducted and the follow up training sessions which are to be held in coming weeks would offer extended benefits.

The Sea Moss Cultivation Training and Maintenance conducted with the Toucari Sea Moss Group revealed the interests in the expansion of the production of Seamoss. The agriculture ministry added that the training is a prerequisite for the establishment and management of a Sea Moss farm.

The held training session covered various factors that include; site selection, preparation and selection of Sea Moss planting material, line establishment of material using vertical and horizontal methods.

Other aspects of the held training session include deployment and anchoring of cultivated lines in the open sea, maintenance of lines with cultivated Sea Moss, Harvesting of Sea Moss and Post-harvest and drying of Sea Moss.

The held training is the part of one of the three activities implemented in fulfillment of the Coastfish Project. This project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which aims at strengthening the sustainable use and management of Coastal Fisheries Resources within CARICOM countries.

The project has not only supported Dominica but also several other countries which are as follows:

•  Antigua and Barbuda
• Grenada 
• St Kitts and Nevis 
• Saint Lucia  
• St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Under this project, local fisherfolk, organizations and fisheries authorities will work together. The collaborative work will be done to manage fishery resources around coral reefs which are lobsters and other reef associated fishes. Moreover, the three projects being developed for the Portsmouth catchment area directs towards the establishment of Sea Moss farm and the processing of the product.