Winners of the Fisheries Division secondary culinary skills and fishers??? domino competitions, held throughout eight fishing communities, were last Friday, July 3, presented with their prizes.
The occasion was a prize giving ceremony held at the Fisheries Division, Princess Alice Highway, to award those who came out tops, as part of last month???s Fisherman???s Day celebrations, held under the theme ???Greening the Blue Economy???.
The Fish Dish Competition saw the Ursuline Convent School being awarded first place, while the Coleridge & Parry School and the Springer Memorial School received second and third place, respectively.
The prize for the best overall presentation and the most creative dish were awarded to the Coleridge & Parry School, while the Ursuline Convent School won the most original dish.??In the Domino Competition, first place went to Bathsheba, while second and third place went to Silver Sands and Tent Bay, respectively.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Chief Fisheries Officer, Joyce Leslie, noted the importance of protecting the marine environment. She stated that Government was in the process of greening the ???Blue Economy???, through creating a sustainable fishing industry which ensured that the fish stock was protected for future generations.
Mrs. Leslie also highlighted the importance of reducing and preventing post-harvest losses, and mitigating against the effects of climate change and sea level rises, by way of designs of costal structures and a disaster preparedness plan.
The Deputy Chief Fisheries Officer said that plans could only be implemented successfully if all those involved in the fishing industry played their part.
???We at the Fisheries Division, Markets Division and the Barbados Coast Guard need to continue to build stronger ties and good lines of communication with you. A strong fisher folk body is required because of the importance of partnership between governmental agencies and your organisations, this is part of the ecosystem approach to fisheries management,??? she said.
On Sunday, June 29, Barbados joined with other islands in the Caribbean to celebrate Fisherman???s Day, an annual event.
aisha.reid@barbados.gov.bb