Quick Facts:

• % Contribution to GDP: 0.3 (1993)
• Fishing Area: EEZ (58722 km2); Archipelagic waters (7158 km2); Territorial Sea (9337 km2).
• Fishermen: Approximately 8,000 (over 80% full-time)
• Landing sites: 110 sites
• Fish Imports: 2199 MT/4.9 M US $ (1993)
• Fish Exports: 2981 MT/6.8 M US$ (1993)
• Fish vendors/hawkers: No information available
• Fish processors: No information available
• Importers: No information available
• Exporters: No information available
• Subsidies: Tax and duty free concessions on marine fuel, boats, engines, fishing gear and other related supplies.

Notes:

1. Trinidad lies 11.2 km from the northeastern peninsula of Venezuela. The continental shelf is a maximum of 100 nautical miles south, 35 nautical miles east and 27 nautical miles north of Trinidad. The shelf has a fairly even topography with no recognized canyon or submerged features.
2. Tobago sits entirely on the shelf at a distance of 19 nautical miles from Trinidad. The shelf breaks at depths from 90-100 m with a slope which descends to depths of several thousand metres.
3. Pirogues are primarily small wooden/fibreglass open boats of 7-9 m in length, propelled outboard engines commonly 45-75 Hp. Used for commercial and sport day fishing using primarily handlines, also gill nets, palangue (small bottom longlines) and fish pots (traps). Similar vessels known as "bumboats" are used in Tobago.
4. Multi-purpose industrial fleet consists of eight (8) fibreglass vessels 14-23 m in length; primarily fish pelagic and demersal species using longlines and fish pots and stay at sea from 7-15 days;
5. Trawlers have been categorized into four types (see below) according to their lengths, engine horsepower and degree of mechanization. All 211 trawlers are based in Trinidad. Shrimps (Penaeids) are the principal exploited species; finfish, crabs, and squid are caught as by-catch.
6. Cold storage facilities are available at six (6) sites and fish markets at three (3). Port facilities to accommodate vessels exploiting the EEZ are available in Port of Spain, Trinidad and to a lesser extent in Scarborough, Tobago. Government is looking into the feasibility of a multi-user port in northeastern Trinidad that would cater to tourism, inter-island travel, Coast Guard, and fishing.
7. Shrimp represent about 40% of export value.
8. Generally the marketing of fish is undertaken in a very rudimentary manner. Most of the fish is marketed fresh and sold directly by the fishermen on the beach to private vendors, middle-men or to consumers. The private vendors sell the fish from small outlets along the various highways/roadways throughout the country.
9. The government intends to phase out many of the elements of the present package of concessions, rebates and incentives.

Vessel Categories:

• Type I: 6.7-9.8 m. in length; 2 X 56 Hp outboard; manually operated net (113 vessels);
• Type II: 7.9 - 11.6 m. in length; 137 Hp inboard diesel; single net/manually operated (66 vessels);
• Type III: 10.4 -12.2 m. in length; 176 Hp inboard diesel; single net/hydraulic winch; electronic fishing aids/communication equipment (10 vessels);
• Type IV: 21.6 - 22.5 m. in length; 365 Hp inboard diesel; Two nets/hydraulic winch; electronic fishing aids/communication equipment; some refrigeration (23 vessels).