Fresh fishing controls drafted

New regulations are coming to prevent fishermen from casting their nets to catch certain species of fish and restrict their access to certain sections of the island’s coastline.

Minister of Maritime and the Blue Economy Kirk Humphrey on Monday revealed that the changes are intended to protect certain endangered species and create a more sustainable marine environment.

During the opening of a newly refurbished fish market at Paynes Bay, St James, he revealed that among the “new and progressive” regulations are restrictions on sea net fishing that would prevent the catching of certain types of fish, including chubs, which are said to be under threat.

He explained that the measures were only agreed upon after extensive consultation with fishermen, who have also promised to produce a video showing the difference between using nets to catch permitted species like jacks in comparison to chubs.

Fishermen who engage in pot fishing will now have to be registered with the Maritime Affairs Ministry to ensure that it is done in a more controlled way.

Minister Humphrey also announced the creation of areas that may be closed to catching certain species of fish, closed to certain species and/or where fishing is altogether prohibited in ‘marine management areas’.

“The point here is to be able to maintain fishing, to allow people to eat, but to be able to do it sensibly and to be able to do it sustainably. I do believe these new regulations will allow us to do that. So over the next few months, there is going to be intense consultation with the public to be able to explain what it is that we are seeking to do,” Humphrey explained.

The minister has promised an extended period of consultation with the intention of passing legislation and instituting enforcement measures from early next year.

To satisfy U.S. import regulations, the new measures will mandate continuous monitoring of the treatment, in Barbados waters, of mammals like dolphins.

“How we determine and treat those marine managed areas will be the subject of consultation so that you must not hear that there is going to be a marine managed area and hear that there is going to be absolutely no fishing in any part of the marine managed area.

President of the Barbados National Union of Fisherfolk Organisation (BARNUFO) Vernel Nicholls told Barbados TODAY that while some players in the sector have raised concerns,the organisation was pleased with the level of consultation.

“BARNUFO on a whole is all about the sustainability of the fishing industry and the fishing sector and therefore once consultation has gone on with the fishers, the fishers themselves know best what they want and what should be put in place, because I personally can’t speak to some of the things that they would have issues with,” Nicholls explained.

“As long as it does not affect them in a significant way and as long as it does not affect sustainability of the fisheries, BARNUFO would support any decision that is made to sustain the industry while not infringing on the fishers’ livelihood,” she added.

The sector spokeswoman also praised the continuous improvements to the places where stakeholders in the industry ply their trade.

“For years now the fisheries sector has been seen as an abandoned sector and with these developments that are coming, there is betterment for the industry, an opportunity for people to lift themselves up, feel good about themselves and the industry. Looking at the infrastructure and the facilities that they are now working in, it is a place that they can feel comfortable operating,” she added. (KS)