During his tour of the far north, Marcelin Aubourg, the Haitian Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR), leading a delegation, conducted a site visit this week to inspect the progress of fishing infrastructure, including boats, in the Northeast, with the aim of promoting and strengthening the fishing sector.

In Fort-Liberté, the delegation visited the Marine Motors construction workshop. Bernard Chauvet, the head of the company, guaranteed that of the 80 boats to be built (made of fiberglass), 20 would be delivered during the month of May. These fishing boats, which are four feet wide, he explained, are equipped with an average of 15 HP engines and designed for deep-sea fishing.

On the morning of Friday, April 10, 2026, the Minister met with fishing associations at the North Departmental Directorate of Agriculture (DDAN). During the discussions, Aubourg emphasized that fishing is now a sector with strong potential. Unlike in previous years, fishermen are now proud to identify as such because fishing allows them to provide for their needs. The former departmental director of agriculture for the South and Grand'Anse regions also encouraged fishermen in the North to fully commit to this profession, which would allow them to improve their living conditions.

These visits are part of the Program to Support Agricultural and Fisheries Productivity and Improve Rural Infrastructure for Market Access (PAPAIR), specifically its components : fisheries productivity and the rehabilitation of fishing infrastructure.

Following the success of this program in the South, the North is now also benefiting from it. Around twenty associations—fifteen in the North and five in the Northeast—have already received technical training as part of an organizational strengthening program, according to Laurent Mérisier, an agricultural engineer and one of the three coordinators of PAPAIR. Of the 80 fishing boats currently under construction, each association will receive four. These boats will be equipped with engines and other preservation equipment, particularly for the benefit of fishmongers, explains Mérisier.

Funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), PAPAIR is a program of the Haitian government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development.

HL/ HaitiLibre