The system will be called IrieFINS – Jamaica’s fisheries and aquaculture information system.

Winner of the competition is Licensing and Registration Clerk, Yonique Gordon, who walked away with the top prize of $25,000.

Describing her entry, Ms. Gordon wrote: “The fins are well known in various spheres to be related to the industry. Their purposes are to provide the fish with balance, protection and the ability to direct their motion. I believe this is also the purpose for which this system was created.”

Principal Director of Fisheries Compliance Licensing and Statistics at the NFA, Dr. Zhara Oliphant, said the competition aimed to have employees generate a name that captures the essence of what the new system will do.

“Our fishers, fish farmers and persons in the industry will be the ones to benefit the most from the system being developed. Instead of applying via paper, because right now we are very manual with our operations, this system will allow persons to apply online,” she said.

The NFA and the Transformation Implementation Unit in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service are collaborating to implement the new fisheries licensing and registration system.

Stakeholders in the fisheries sector can expect a reduction in the processing time for licensing and registration applications under the new system. Applicants will also be able to track the status of applications and download licences to their smartphones.