THE Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) on Friday reported the apprehension of a Dominican fishing vessel and its 11 crew in a suspected poaching operation in the southern Bahamas this week.
According to officials, the HMBS Lignum Vitae intercepted the 60-foot vessel near Cay Lobos on the Great Bahama Bank on Wednesday, after observing the ship for several days.
On boarding the vessel, RBDF officials found a large quantity of suspected scale fish and lobster.
Captain Tellis Bethel, the Acting Defence Force Commander, said: “The capture of the Dominican vessel was the result of an extended anti-poaching programme for the protection of Bahamian fishermen and the preservation of vital marine resources.” He commended the collective efforts of the Defence Force’s Commander Operations, Lt Cmdr Clarence Dean, the Squadron Commanding Officer, Lt Cmdr Whitfield Neely and the Operations Officer, Snr Lt William Sturrup, for devising an effective strategy to capture the poachers.
The HMBS Lignum Vitae was commanded by RBDF Senior Lieutenant Bertram Bowleg at the time of the apprehension.
Comments
Fitmiss 8 years, 6 months ago
Do we now repossess this vessel and send it to auction or such? Or do we simply charge them a fine and give them their vessel and wait to repeat the cycle, if we are fortunate to recapture them?
sheeprunner12 8 years, 6 months ago
Sink these boats on the spot and execute the fishermen ..... their government will get the message and begin to address the problem quickly ............ we play too soft with these high seas criminals ........... or is there another reason for our soft stance??? hmmmmmmmmm
sealice 8 years, 6 months ago
one of the few things you've ever posted that i agree with completely hang a few of the fuckers and they'll stop poaching
SP 8 years, 6 months ago
.......... Alfred Gray has been in cahoots with these Dominicans for a very long time! ..........
People of Ackilns, Crooked Island and department of Immigration tell very interesting stories about jackass Gray and Dominican fisherman.
Time to take a serious audit of Alfred Gray!
sheeprunner12 8 years, 6 months ago
Are these boats really Dominican-registered commercial vessels with bona fide Dominican owners ....... or do they have Bahamian "shareholders" with Dominican crews?????? ..................... why do they get off with a slap on the wrist???? ........ is this all a part of the civil service corruption that has been unearthed by the Auditor General?????? hmmmmmm
sheeprunner12 8 years, 6 months ago
DO YOU ALL KNOW THAT THE BAHAMAS HAS NOT SIGNED ON TO THE UN TREATY THAT POLICES THE $23 BILLION ILLEGAL FISHING INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD???? ........ WHY WOULD PERRY, FWEDDY AND V ALFRED GRAY NOT SIGN THAT TREATY??? ....HMMMM
Baha10 8 years, 6 months ago
One of the few issues we face that should be non-political and garner bipartisan support is illegal poaching of our fishery resources, which has unfortunately been neglected for far too long and placed our cultural connection with the sea and our historical way of life in jeopardy.
clawdad 8 years, 6 months ago
heres a thought fine the captain 1 million fine each crew member 5 hundred thousand then give the crew of the defence force 20% of the fines.then you will see a change
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 6 months ago
Take their boat and burn it! They keep coming because we are soft on them! Burn their damned boat!
Abaconian 8 years, 6 months ago
They will be back again poaching the southern banks in no time.. they might even be back in that same boat! Pretty disgraceful. I applau the RBDF on apprehending this vessell, but at the same time I know this stuff is going on all year round with many more boats doing it. They need to get them all and send a serious message.
B_I_D___ 8 years, 6 months ago
Take a page out of Indonesia's book and blow the F(KR up!!
Sickened 8 years, 6 months ago
20% of the catch should go to Hands for Hunger, 20% to Meal of Wheels, 20% to the RBDF cafeteria and 40% to the RBDF officers to do with as they please (sell, keep, donate).
As for the boat - clean it then scuttle it. Would make a great wreck and perhaps attract a movie studio to use it one day.
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