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Nature Foundation steps up support for Sint Maarten's fishers with training and monitoring
The Nature Foundation Sint Maarten has expanded its work with local fishers, with new graduates of its training course, a pilot monitoring programme at the Simpson Bay Fish Market and free lobster and conch gauges.
By SXM Daily ·
The Nature Foundation Sint Maarten has expanded its support for the island's fishers, with training, a pilot monitoring programme and new tools to help them follow the rules, the foundation said on 8 October 2026.
Illustrative: a Caribbean spiny lobster. Photo: NOAA / Wikimedia Commons, public domain
The second session of its fishers' workshop ended in August with five graduates for 2026, who receive fishing equipment. The foundation has also started a pilot fishery monitoring programme, and has trained vendors at the Simpson Bay Fish Market as fishery monitoring officers.
To help fishers and buyers check minimum sizes, the foundation has put up signs, printed flyers in several languages and is handing out free 3D-printed gauges for lobster and conch.
In September it helped deliver an Introduction to Sustainable Fishing course for 20 fishers with SEDC and AEP. The foundation also advised the Ministry of TEATT on three fish aggregating devices (FADs) donated by the Government of Curaçao.
The work is funded by the European Union through the MENAA/BESTLIFE2030 programme.
For fishers: the Nature Foundation, based in Cole Bay, is the contact for the free gauges and the training courses.
Sources
- https://naturefoundationsxm.org/nature-foundation-expands-support-for-sint-maartens-fisheries-sector-through-training-and-collaboration/