Following the training workshop, and in keeping with the agreed Way Forward,  comments on the revised questionnaires and manual to be used in the survey, as well as updated country information, which will assist in the determination of the sample frame for each country, have been provided.  The questionnaires and manual and the software for data entry are being finalized.  The survey is slated to commence by the end of March 2010.  However, due to the CARICOM Secretariat and the donor, Kingdom of Spain (AECID), having to address matters regarding the allocation of funds for the field activities as well as some other aspects of project funding, the start-up of the field survey was unavoidably delayed.  These matters have been sorted out, and the CARICOM Secretariat and the CRFM Secretariat have now concluded an MOU regarding the disbursement and management of funds for the field activities.  The commencement of the field survey has now been re-scheduled to July 2010.

A second round of assessment workshops, which would provide opportunity to elaborate more specifically an agreed course of implementation, would be convened shortly, with the one for the Caribbean which was re-scheduled to July 2010, having being postponed to dates to be determined. The Project Identification Workshop would be held in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis.

In May 2010 a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture, Belize, Agriconsulting Europe SA (AESA), Brussels, (project implementing agency) and the CRFM Secretariat, Belize City, was signed for office space on the ground floor of the CRFM Secretariat Office for the ACP Fish II Programme, Regional Facilitation Unit (RFU) Caribbean Office.

In the meanwhile, based on discussions with Chief Fisheries Officers / Directors of Fisheries of CARIFORM Member States, RFBs and donor agencies, the Regional Manager has been drafting the regional and national project request report. Countries and RFBs which have not completed and submitted their requests should do so urgently and submit to the RFU. This draft report will assist in determining the allocation of funds and project activities for the Caribbean when completed.