DEVELOPMENT OF FISHING INDUSTRY A HIGH PRIORITY

By: DEBBIE-ANN WRIGHT

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Christopher Tufton (first row, centre), aboard a fishing vessel with fishermen from the Galleon/Long Acre Fishing Beach in St. Elizabeth. Dr. Tufton, along with personnel from the Ministry's Fisheries Division were touring the Black River Bay fish sanctuary and officially opened a gear shed at the Galleon/Long Acre Fishing Beach.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries spearheaded several initiatives during 2009, to more effectively develop and regulate the country's fishing industry and to protect marine resources.

Several infrastructural upgrades were also implemented to enhance the ability of fisherfolk to make a living.

Legislation

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, has given a commitment to have a new Fisheries Policy in place by the end of this fiscal year. Dr. Tufton said the new policy will be articulated by legislation, which will replace the Fisheries Act of 1975.

Noting that the legislation will aim at changing the behaviour and attitude of Jamaicans toward the fishing industry and marine resources, the Minister said the protection of marine sanctuaries will bring enormous benefits to the country. He said the Government would be working closely with fisherfolk to encourage them to co-operate with the requirements of the new legislation, which will, among other things, bring changes to the practice of using the mechanical spear guns for fishing, effective March 31, 2010.

"We are not banning spear fishing, what we are saying is that we are going to embark on a programme to replace, at the cost of the Government, the mechanical spear guns which have had a devastating impact on our reef fish, with what the fishers call the Hawaiian Sling," Dr. Tufton said, during his contribution to the 2009/10 Sectoral Debate, in the House of Representatives, on July 7.

The Government also took the decision to ban the use of mesh sizes for fish pots below 1.5 inches, effective July 7, 2010. Other measures to be put in place to protect the fishing industry include the ban on night diving for spear fishing, which will become effective March 31, 2010, and strengthening the Ministry's enforcement efforts to ensure that all vessels and fishers are registered and licensed by March 31, 2010. Also effective March 31, 2010, a special permit will be required for compressors and other mechanical devices used for underwater breathing purposes for fishing.

Meanwhile, the Government will be spending $30 million on a fishers' registration programme, and over the next two years, the administration will be spending $14 million to set up 13 repeater stations to improve the communication systems for fishermen at sea. This will include coverage for the Morant and Pedro Cays, two major fishing areas where fishermen have encountered difficulties.

Fishing beaches

Government's commitment to the sustainability of the island's fishing industry was reinforced by the re-opening of several fishing beaches.

Dr. Tufton said that, over the years, fishers were placed lowest on the priority list, in terms of resource allocation and policy formulation, but that he is committed to changing that and rebuilding the sector. He said this commitment has been driven by the fact that there are approximately 150,000 people, either directly or indirectly, involved in the fishing business, making it an enterprise far too important to be ignored or treated with scant regard.

The Calabash and Great Bays fishing facilities in St. Elizabeth were upgraded and re-opened in February at a cost of over $10 million. Work on the projects included upgrading of gear sheds, installation of security grilles, installation of electrical wires and meter box, to facilitate reconnection of electricity which was out for four years, and installation of external lights.

The refurbished Rae Town Fishing Beach in Kingston was also re-opened in June, with improved facilities put in place to benefit the 110 fisherfolk and their immediate families, at a cost of $6 million.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Christopher Tufton (third right), looks on as fisherman, Mr. Raphael Dudley (second left), shows him damage done to his boat during the passage of hurricane Dean in 2007. Others (from third left) are: Member of Parliament, Central Kingston, Mr. Ronald Thwaites; Permanent secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Donovan Stanberry; and Councillor for the Rae Town Division, Ms. Rosalie Hamilton. Occasion was the re-opening of the Rae Town Fishing Beach on June 4.

This project, which began in December 2008, included the renovation of the bathroom facilities to create a better sanitary environment, repairs to the existing seawall, and the upgrading of some 48 gear sheds used for the storage of equipment, such as fish nets, gas and engines.

Government's commitment to the sustainability of the island's fishing industry was again demonstrated with the relaunch of the Hope Bay Fishing Beach in Portland, on November 18. The beach was upgraded at a cost of $7.5 million, to promote efficient, safe and environmentally friendly fishing facilities for fisherfolks in the Hope Bay Community.

The Portmore Fishing Village Complex in St. Catherine was also completed during the year. The facility, located on the Jamworld property on the Dyke Road, was officially opened on October 30. It was built to accommodate fisherfolk, who previously plied their trade along the Portmore Causeway, but had to be relocated to facilitate construction of the Portmore leg of Highway 2000. Close to $300 million was spent on the project.

Fish sanctuaries

The Ministry also furthered its goal of establishing eight new fish sanctuaries across the island, in addition to the two already existing in St. James and St. Thomas, by March 2010.

Dr. Tufton said the law governing the establishment of the sanctuaries is to be gazetted and recorded and "once that is done (we) will be working on putting in the boundaries to show where exactly the sanctuaries are."

Persons are being warned not to fish in fish sanctuaries or they could face hefty fines ranging from $250,000 to $2,000,000. Acting Director of the Marine Branch of the Fisheries Division, Ian Jones, told JIS News during a tour of the Black River Bay fish sanctuary in February, that previously, the fines were so low that some fishers preferred to break the rules and pay the fine.

"This can no longer happen with the new fines under the newly amended Fisheries Policy," he stated. He said that the sanctuaries would be clearly marked with buoys, and patrolled regularly, especially at night, to prevent illegal fishing.

In October, the Minister disclosed at a ceremony at Beaches Bascobel Resort and Spa in St. Mary, that two marine sanctuaries were to be established at the location through close collaboration  between the Sandals Foundation and the Ministry.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Christopher Tufton (left), is all smiles as he receives a warm greeting from fisherfolk at the Greenwich Town Fishing Village in Kingston.

The Bluefields Bay Fish Sanctuary in Westmoreland was opened on December 16 by Dr. Tufton.

The Minister stressed that the official opening of the Bluefields Bay Sanctuary and the signing of letters of intent in relation to five other sanctuaries concretised the critical partnerships forged over time between the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the fishers living in and around the areas of these sanctuaries.

 Fisheries Loan

The Fisheries Division of the Ministry also announced during the year that a revolving loan of $50 million, administered by the National People's Co-operative Bank, was available to small fishers to move the sector forward.

Fishers can use loans to retool, purchase additional equipment, boats, engines and other inputs. The repayment schedule is negotiable, and is based on the circumstances of the individual.

"It is a micro loan scheme; it is made available for small scale fishers at a maximum of $500,000. The beneficiaries will need to have equity of 20 per cent of the loan, with the interest rate being 7.8 per cent," then Director of Fisheries, Andre Kong, explained.

Palisadoes Mangrove Replanting

In January, approximately 700 mangrove seedlings were planted along the Palisadoes Strip by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), in collaboration with the Port Royal Marine Laboratory of the University of the West Indies. The activity was the second such event done as a part of the activities for International Year of the Reef 2008, in which a total of 1,400 mangrove seedlings and coastal plants were planted along the Palisadoes Strip.

Mangroves are important for the protection of coral reefs, as they filter out pollutants and trap sediments from land runoffs which could kill the reef. They also act as a nursery for many of the fishes that live on the reef, and help to stabilise the shoreline, thus reducing erosion. They are also among the most productive ecosystems in the world, and absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that is fuelling climate change.