Kingstown St. Vincent May 26,2026-Prime Minister Godwin Friday has defended his government’s decision to separate fisheries from agriculture, saying the move was intended to give one of the country’s most important productive sectors “the best chance” of delivering economic growth and food security.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 49th Fisherman’s Day celebrations, Dr. Friday said successive governments had combined responsibility for agriculture and fisheries under a single ministry, despite both sectors being central to national development
“We looked at this and we said these two important economic activities, these two important foundational activities that we do as a people, we have to give them the best chance of delivering for the people of our country,” he told fishers and stakeholders gathered in Little Tokyo.
The prime minister said the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Conservation and Climate Resilience signalled a shift in how the government viewed the industry.
“For too long,” he said, people had looked down on fishers and failed to recognise their contribution to the economy and food supply.
Dr. Friday argued that the fishing industry would be critical to the government’s wider economic agenda, which he said rested on four pillars: agriculture, fisheries and the blue economy, tourism and the “new economy”.
“So we have said, as a government, that the fishing industry will define whether we succeed or we do not,” he said.
The prime minister also announced plans to improve fishers’ access to credit and modern technology, arguing that many people working in the industry faced barriers to financing.
He said the proposed National Development Bank would help provide loans for engines, vessels and equipment, while government investment would focus on making the sector more productive and profitable.
Dr. Friday said the government wanted fishers to be able not only to cover daily costs, but also to save and build long-term financial security.
He also stressed that marine conservation would remain central to the ministry’s work, arguing that fisheries development and environmental protection had to go hand in hand.
“One minister shouldn’t be fighting another minister because he wants to exploit and produce and the other minister is saying no, you have to conserve,” he said.
The prime minister said the country had significant untapped opportunities in aquaculture, seafood production and sea moss cultivation, but warned that resources had to be managed carefully to ensure long-term sustainability.
He urged Vincentians to place greater value on fishers and the role they play in supporting livelihoods, food production and economic activity across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.