The purpose of the planning grant request is to fund the process of developing a project proposal for submission to COMPACT by the Placencia Producers Cooperative Society Ltd. to implement the cultivation of seaweed as an alternative fishing method in the Placencia area.
It will allow the fishers to sustainably utilize the resources in the area and reduce the fishing pressure from commercial fishing. This grant is needed to allow the cooperative to conduct consultations in Placencia village with various stakeholders including the fishers, Fisheries Department, Friends of Nature, World Wildlife Fund, Central America (WWF-CA) and the COMPACT Programme office. There is also the need to do research into the technology, its present utilization and adaptability to the proposed area, and to have a consultant guide the entire process and develop the final proposal. In addition, some consultation will have to be done with potential buyers to determine the existence and size of the market.