By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
AN environmental activist has branded a Cabinet minster's call for the Bahamas to double its annual fisheries exports as "the most insane concept", calling for him to instead focus on curbing poaching.
Sam Duncombe, reEarth's president, told Tribune Business: "This notion about fully exploiting our fisheries, when all of the studies suggest that 90 per cent of the big fish are gone and the fish we eat regularly are being exploited, almost to the max......
"Instead of taking the conservative approach, we seem to be saying to hell with the science; we are going to catch whatever is out there because someone else is going to take it.
"That is the most insane concept. We should be looking at ways to conserve our fisheries and stop poaching."
Earlier this month, Renward Wells, minister of agriculture and marine resources, said he had set himself the "goal" of doubling the Bahamas' annual $90 million fisheries exports.
He added that this nation's fisheries exports - $70 million of which are spiny lobster and crawfish, and the remaining $20 million conch, stone crab and snappers - represented an important avenue to increase the Bahamas' foreign currency earnings.
Mr Wells also suggested there is the potential to catch other fish, such as tuna and wahoo for export.
Mr Wells's comments were backed by Keith Carroll, the Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance's (BCFA) vice-president, who agreed that this nation was only scratching the surface of its fisheries potential.
He told Tribune Business: "We don't fish our ocean; only our banks." He said the reason Bahamian fishermen do not exploit the likes of tuna and swordfish is due to the controversy surrounding long-line fishing methods.
Mrs Duncombe said she and other environmental groups have strongly opposed such methods for years.
"The fact that we are having to revisit all of these so-called victories we have had over the years is such a regressive step, it's terrifying," she added.
"While we did not get an all-out ban on long-line fishing, what the law says is that if Cabinet gives full approval someone can get a license to long line fish. We were not happy with that. We considered it a loophole then and still consider it a loophole.
"To me, the fact that fishermen mentioned it says to me that those discussions are happening."
Mr Wells's goal is also being opposed by environmental group Save The Bays (STB), with its chairman, Joseph Darville, calling the proposal "reckless, dangerous and an insult to the hard work and sacrifice of countless conservationists over the years".
Comments
sheeprunner12 6 years, 7 months ago
Who is fishing what in our 200-mile Economic Zone??????? ........ Can SamD answer that????
HonestTruth 6 years, 7 months ago
Why would anyone listen to Sam Duncombe the environmentalist on how to boost our economy, she provides little insight and should be ignored at all costs.
Dawes 6 years, 7 months ago
The minister is right we can double our exports if we do all this. Of course it also means that in 10 years or so we won't have anything left to fish, but that's someone else's problem and not ours. Those of us still here can just buy tilapia from China to make up the loss. At a guess even without trying to do all the minister is saying in 5-10 years we won't be eating conch like we were used to, and soon after other fish will follow.
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 7 months ago
Renward Wells seems to be in bed with either Beaver Street Fisheries in Jacksonville or Red Lobster throughout Florida, or possibly the Red Chinese in their homeland. Someone had better check on exactly who is buttering his bread these days!
Porcupine 6 years, 7 months ago
The shocker isn't that we have politicians who spout such nonsense, but that we have a populace who is so out of touch with reality. It seems that the human population grows stupider each year. It is clearly evident in The Bahamas and the US.
joeblow 6 years, 7 months ago
I am not sure over fishing is the imminent threat as much as lionfish are. What does the environmentalist propose we do about that problem?
Dawes 6 years, 7 months ago
There have been numerous lion fishing tournaments and BNT amongst others have been pushing for people to eat lionfish (it is pretty good). I now see less lionfish then i used to, however they are still there.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 7 months ago
A bigger problem lies right across the Gulf Stream in the Florida Everglades ..... Burmese pythons ........... God help us if they reach our shores.
DWW 6 years, 7 months ago
the native fish are learning to eat them. they have been found in the stomachs of grouper and other fish.
DWW 6 years, 7 months ago
actually, there is a way to increase the $ value of imports without actually increase the volume going out of the country. Fishermen could earn the same amount of money for half the amount of work. How? by having strict catch limits, anyone ever watch dangerous catch? the government set the limit on how much can be taken out of the ocean. the lower supply pushes up prices. ever bought a meal of the giant king crab they catch on dangerous catch? probably not, because it is only sold in really expensive restaurants where people pay big bucks to eat them. it is simple economics, not fear mongering. they make a years income in 2-3 months. how about our fishermen? would they like to do that too? or just look at the short term and over fish it all till it's gone. simple economics, simple economics....
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