75. The Senior Fishery Officer from the Subregional Office of FAO in Barbados, Mr Chakalall, thanked the participants for their active participation which contributed to the success of the Workshop. He stated that he was both impressed and encouraged by their knowledge and understanding of the issues related to IUU fishing in the subregion. Thus, he was sure that the countries of the subregion, most of which are SIDS, would now elaborate and submit to FAO their NPOAs-IUU. Mr Chakalall added that FAO, within the constraints of its resources, remain committed to assisting the countries of the subregion in the development and implementation of NPOAs-IUU. Mr Chakalall also thanked the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for their kind assistance in organizing the Workshop, the arrangements for which were excellent. In concluding, Mr Chakalall requested the participants to keep in touch with FAO especially the Subregional Office in Barbados, in order to collectively address the issue of IUU fishing in the subregion.
76. Mr Doulman expressed his thanks to the participants and observers, staff of the Trinidad and Tobago Division of Fisheries and FAO colleagues from the offices in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and headquarters in Rome for their support and hard work before and during the Workshop. He also thanked the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for hosting the Workshop. The Technical Secretary urged participants to proactively encourage the implementation of the IPOA-IUU when they return to their national administrations. Mr Doulman stressed that FAO assigned high priority to the implementation of the IPOA-IUU as a means of achieving long-term sustainable outcomes in fisheries. He added that the elaboration of NPOAs-IUU was the first step in the process for the implementation of the IPOA-IUU.
77. On behalf of the participants, Mr Michael Braynen expressed his sincere thanks for the convening of this important Workshop. He noted that all the participants arrived with an appreciation for the problems of IUU fishing from their own individual States and that, at the end of the Workshop, they all had a better appreciation of the wide rage of activities and practices that constitute IUU fishing in their States and in the region that they all shared. Mr Braynen further noted that participants had been provided with valuable information to be used as tools to assist in the effort to develop their own national plans that would contribute to a global effort to combat IUU fishing. Thanks were extended to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago which, through the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Affairs, has served as excellent hosts. He extended thanks and appreciation for the ongoing work of FAO in this region and particularly to Mr David Doulman, Ms Judith Swan, Ms Marianne Guyonnet, Mr Bisessar Chakalall and their staffs. Participants and observers were also thanked for their active participation and contributions in making the Workshop a great success.
78. The Workshop closed at 12.00hrs on 26 November 2004.
