The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE government’s temporary ban on permits for non-Bahamian fishermen does not provide sufficient comfort to local fishermen according to Bahamas Fishers Alliance president Adrian Laroda who told Tribune Business that arresting non-Bahamian fishermen at sea would be a ‘definite deterrent.’

Mr Laroda’s comments came following a contribution on the Immigration Act by Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell in the House of Assembly last week.

Mr Mitchell said that the government had decided on the ban after hearing the ‘cries’ from local fishermen.

Mr Laroda told Tribune Business: “This ban really doesn’t provide sufficient comfort to Bahamian fishermen that an initiative like this should provide. We support the minister for the steps he has taken, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources for the steps they have been taking. What is happening is foreigners are not given permits to work in the fishing industry. They are being employed in other capacities to work in the industry. The way the law is being circumvented is you have other businesses applying for foreign workers to work for them under their names but these people still find their way to work on fishing vessels. You may have an air conditioning company that employs 20 or 30 air conditioning mechanics. They would get work permits to bring these persons in but these people would end up working on fishing vessels because their real profession is not as an air conditioning mechanic per se.”

Mr Laroda added: “The government’s decision is commendable but it’s not sufficient, it needs to go further. You cannot revoke something that people don’t have. These people don’t have permits to work in the fishing industry so how can you revoke permits. They have to arrest these people. That in itself would be definite deterrent for any foreigner to go out there and fish.”

The furore over foreign fishermen being employed in the Bahamian fishing industry was brought to the fore again several weeks ago when Percival Roberts, the owner of Geneva Brass Seafood and Rock Lobster, said the Government should consider repealing the law that only allows Bahamians to fish in this country.

The BCFA has said that it is adamantly opposed to such a move and has called on the government to enforce the fishing regulations in the Bahamas. Local fishermen claimed that their foreign counterparts, mainly, they say, Dominicans on work permits, often used unsustainable methods that Bahamian fishermen never would.

Mr Laroda said: “Law enforcement must take a more serious stand in apprehending these vessels because they do not have permits to be working on fishing vessels and they must not be on any Bahamian vessel working in any capacity. That is against the law. A spousal permit does not give you the right to work in the fishing industry. If you are in the country on a spousal permit then the proper thing to do is to apply for citizenship and only when you become a citizen of this country  can you then be employed in the fishing industry.

“This is not about us against them, it’s just that people need to understand that if you amend the fishing regulations to allow foreigners to fish we do not know what we would be in for. We have Dominicans today, who could say who else would come tomorrow? Bahamians are already complaining about the price of seafood so imagine what will happen when our stocks get depleted.”