Aquaculture: towards a territorial plan specific to Saint-Martin
Under the leadership of 1st vice-president Alain RICHARDSON, the direction of green growth and the blue economy, led by Elie Touzé, launched the creation of a territorial aquaculture development plan (STDA).
Photo: The Collectivité of Saint-MartinPromote seafood players and products and create jobs in the sector
This public policy aims to structure the sector and develop self-sufficiency and optimization of seafood products.
To do this, 7 aspiring engineering students from the Ecole Supérieure d'Agro-veloppement International (ISTOM) based in Angers, were contacted by the Collectivité at the beginning of 2024, in order to work on the development of the plan.
A first preliminary study phase of 6 months took place in April and May.
Then, the students then went to meet professionals in the sector (fishermen, Nature Reserve, Coastal Conservatory, Water and Sanitation Establishment, Port Establishment, etc.), in order to collect their testimonies and better understand their needs.
They also met with restaurateurs and local food distribution channels and will be able to submit their work in mid-July.
The Collectivité wishes to develop aquaculture in co-construction with fishermen and maritime stakeholders in the region, in order to achieve a concerted project that truly meets local expectations.
Indeed, as vice-president Alain Richardson and Elie Touzé recalled: “The objective of the Collectivité is to promote seafood players and products and to create jobs in the sector”.
The final report will be returned to the Collectivité in mid-July and then leave room, once validated by the institutions, for a broad public consultation so that all users can express themselves on this territorial aquaculture project.
The Collectivité would like to thank the 7 students and their project managers who were fully invested in the success of this project study, which, let us remember, is the sine qua non condition for validating their year of study.
