Blue economy sectors

Marine aquaculture in Guadeloupe and Martinique has 2 companies that breed only the Caribbean Wolf (Sciaenops ocellata). Production is low (35 tonnes in 2019 in Martinique), because the operators are small family units. This sector of activity faces several economic difficulties (competition with imports, food prices), health (pollution, viruses) and technical (sargassum, cyclone). To revitalize the sector, research is currently underway to identify a new species adapted to farming conditions with good growth potential.

The offer of the large seaport of Guadeloupe (GPMG) – Guadeloupe Port Caraïbes – is spread over 5 specialized sites contributing to regional planning. Jarry is the main port which concentrates 90% of the goods traffic of the archipelago and constitutes an excellent logistics platform. entirely dedicated to freight. The activity of the port is mainly oriented towards the domestic market. Imports thus represent 74.5% of merchandise traffic while merchandise exports remain limited and dependent on local production (bananas and sugar). In Martinique 98% of the goods pass by the “Grand port maritime de Martinqiue”. In 2018. goods traffic amounted to 3.060.716 tonnes (44% loose. 55% goods).

Fossil energy accounts for 76.5% of Martinique’s energy mix.  The share of renewable energy is steadily increasing and is currently made up of photovoltaic (13.3%), biomass (6.7%) and wind power (2.4%). Overall consumption amounts to 1526 GWh. In Guadeloupe, electricity consumption amounts to 1465 GWh. 21.4% concerns renewable energies, mainly geothermal energy, followed by photovoltaic, biomass, wind and hydraulic power. The two islands appear far from the goals set by the government for 2030. But have some potential to develop new sources of renewable energy.