The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

An advocacy group representing the fisheries industry's major wholesalers and processors is still crying foul over the Fisheries Bill 2020, reigniting divisions within the sector.

Errol Davis, spokesperson for the Coalition For Responsible Fishing (CFRF), which represents the likes of Paradise Fisheries and Geneva Brass Seafood, described the bill as placing "fish rights above a Bahamian Women's Rights Bill" as it bars foreign fishermen - even those here legally on work permits, or spousal permits, as they are married to Bahamian women - from working on local vessels.

He argued that it discriminates against women married to Dominican fishermen, some of whom have been living in the country with their spouses for more than 20 years ,and are entitled to work. The passing of the Fisheries Bill, in addition to accompanying changes to the Immigration Act, means these workers will not be permitted on Bahamian vessels in Bahamian waters any longer.

Mr Davis, in a letter to Tribune Business, said: “The new Fisheries Bill 2020 in its present form, while having some improvements in deterring and managing the vexing problems of illegal poaching, illegal and unreported fishing, and conservation, has purposefully characterised Bahamian-owned businesses that employ non-Bahamians in the same category as poachers.

"In so doing it is prohibiting legitimate Bahamian businesses from functioning, and Bahamian families from feeding themselves at a time when food lines are long enough and social services is stretched beyond its limit. In addition to the boat owners who are all Bahamian, there are hundreds of Bahamian support crew that earn a living on these boats.”

Backing Mr Davis, Percy Roberts, owner/operator of Geneva Brass Seafood, said: “This is a death sentence for my business and its staff. Let me give you an example: I have two boats. I sent one boat out with some Dominican divers and they brought me a decent return, and the Bahamian boat, which just came in yesterday, cannot pay its fuel bill.”

However, Keith Carroll, president of the National Fisheries Association (NFA), which represents smaller fishermen and backs the the legislation, said he supports the Bill and has been lobbying for it for more than 20 years. Speaking on a radio talk show last week, he said: “I could tell you this is why we have to get these Dominicans out of this country.

"These guys come in, they are supposed to dive with a compressor within those months, yet they still break the law. When they dive they break the conch shells. They have already damaged our seabed.

"They used to poach first, and after they found a way to get on Bahamian boats then they started getting the permits and put them on a boat. So the Defence Force has two problems; one of dealing with the poachers, the illegal ones, and the other ones we have here in this country.”

Michael Pintard, minister for agriculture and marine resources, said the Government will not be withdrawing the Bill as it has already consulted widely with all parts of the industry - something Mr Roberts denies.

Mr Davis added: “It is nonsensical to ask a skilled mason to stop being a mason and seek work at JBR bagging cement. This is not his profession, and there is a tremendous difference in earnings. Also, JBR might not have a vacancy.

"This is what the Bill is suggesting; that a highly skilled fisherman must stop being a skilled fisherman and go and seek employment in a fish plant cleaning fish or as a labourer stacking boxes.”

Mr Davis also attacked the diver training programme, which Mr Pintard has spoken highly of, and is undertaken by his ministry through the National Training Agency (NTA). He said: “The Bill was packaged as a ‘Bahamianisation Bill', which most Bahamians would support without looking any further, but it fails to protect Bahamians that would be disadvantaged by the Bill.

“Many Bahamian fisherman, if they read the Bill, would be surprised how this Bill will affect them in its execution but, as they say, ‘the devil is in the detail’. Many Bahamian fisherman may not be aware of the preserving of an area of the sea floor for specific persons.

"For the record, the 2019 version of the 2016 dive programme at NTA that was underwritten by the CFRF was again unsuccessful, producing no functional fisherman. A padi dive permit doesn’t make one a competent fisherman.”