The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance (BCFA) yesterday said it is adamantly opposed to allowing foreigners to fish in this nation’s waters, its president telling Tribune Business that the unsustainable methods many foreigners employed would be detrimental to the industry.

Responding to comments by Percival Roberts, the owner of Geneva Brass Seafood and Rock Lobster, who said the Government should consider repealing the law that only allows Bahamians to fish in this country, BCFA chief Adrian LaRoda said: “We absolutely oppose this proposition, and encourage the Government to enforce the fishing regulations.”

Mr LaRoda charged that  some fishing house operators were merely concerned about their profits, and said: “Certain operators, influenced by their own personal interests, are placing the country at great risk on exports and exclusion from other lucrative markets because they employ foreigners who do not use sustainable methods. Their profit-driven business has pushed the economics of fisheries beyond the reach of the traditional Bahamian household.”

Mr LaRoda said foreign fishermen, mainly Dominicans on work permits, often used unsustainable methods that Bahamian fishermen never would. 

“They harvest juvenile fish, they harvest fish out of season and use prohibited apparatus such as spear guns, chemical bombs and bleach,” he added. 

“Then there are other infractions with the use of air compressors. These foreigners  dive far below the maximum depth to harvest more product than sustainability allows. Additionally, air compressors are used to illegally harvest conch from nesting grounds and habitats deep on the ocean floor. These are not practiced by Bahamians because we respect our home.”

     Mr LaRoda claimed that there were enough Bahamian fishermen to be employed on every vessel operating within the Bahamas, adding: “Most of our workforce in the fishing industry is underemployed. It’s just that some operators refuse to pay the fishermen what they should.”   

Fisherman Winston Beckles Sr said called Mr Roberts’ comments “out of order”. He said: “From the time of Sir Lynden Pindling these waters were preserved for us. If we allow these people to come in using the methods they have, they are are going to destroy our fishing grounds. “

“Well-known fisherman Abner Pinder told Tribune Business:  “No  Dominicans should be allowed to  be in this country fishing. That is what created this problem in the Bahamas today, with foreigners moving 2.5 to three million pounds of crawfish annually off the Bahama Banks.

“If they weren’t moving them and taking them back home, there would be a whole lot more money for Bahamians to be making. Even  if Bahamians didn’t get them they would be here reproducing, and the industry would continue to go down.

“No one could justify Dominicans being on these boats with permits. If they have permanent residence with a right to work, I have no problem with that, but not on a work permit. They can find Bahamians who want to work. The problem  is they didn’t want to pay the Bahamians; that’s why they can’t find good people to work.They are only paying the Dominicans peanuts.”