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The REBYC – II LAC Steering Committee met once again on May 21, 2020, this time virtually. The Committee met to discuss the implementation of the 2020 work plan, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on project activities. Given the current health emergency situation, this previously planned videoconference served to address the challenges created by the pandemic.

During the meeting, project countries presented progress made in the last six months. These include the culmination of various shrimp/trawl fisheries management plans, progress in field-testing bycatch reduction devices, proposals to update national trawl fisheries frameworks and finalized value chain analysis with a gender component in several pilot sites.  Some countries also started bycatch utilization initiatives. Finally, Suriname and T&T updated the Committee on the state of the diagnosis on the functionality of fisherfolk organizations. They also updated the committee on the status of the modernization of fishery statistics information systems.

The steering committee also evaluated the impact of COVID-19 on REBYC-II LAC and the region’s fishing sector. Some impacts identified included: difficulties for the distribution of fishery products from the producing regions to the large centers of consumption; the interruption of value and supply chains; important falls in exports of fishery products;  and the lack of robust sanitary protocols to ensure the safety of fishery products and the health of fishers, crews and other workers in the sector.

Regarding COVID19-impacts on REBYC II LAC Project activities, Committee members expressed that the health emergency affected project activities and recommended adjustments to the 2020 work plan. The main impacts included the impossibility of holding face-to-face meetings to advance training, to reach consensus on certain activities, or to define actions towards the end of the project. Likewise, the lack of access to technological communication platforms by some fishers or the fear of contagion due to participation in mass meetings, are obstacles that need to be worked out in order to achieve project goals in the coming months. Similarly, activities that require international travel, such as the exchange of knowledge between Colombia and Costa Rica, had be readjusted or postponed until later dates. The Committee asked every country to prepare a plan with mitigation actions and present to the Committee by mid-June.

The Steering Committee concluded the following:

1. The Steering Committee agreed to extend the administrative closure of the project until May 31, 2021.

2. Field and non-editorial activities must finish by December 31, 2020.

3. The Steering Committee requested that an ad-hoc videoconference be held in October 2020.

4. The Steering Committee requested all countries to submit a mitigation plan to the regional project coordination unit before June 10, 2020 in order to affectively address the health emergency.

5. The Steering Committee approved the amended 2020 Work Program.