The Tribune

By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

DREDGING taking place near Montagu Beach is a hindrance, affecting water quality, marine life, and their businesses, local fishermen have said.

When asked how the work has affected business at the Montagu fish ramp, Donna Rolle, who works at a conch stand, pointed to the water.

“Well, actually we can’t use the water. That’s number one. We can’t keep the conch in the water because the mud is killing out the conch.”

Instead of using seawater to clean fish and the stalls, area workers have to buy fresh water to complete these tasks.

Ms Rolle also referred to the potential human impact of the works.

“We can’t put our conch in the water, because automatically it will be conch poisoning to people…because of the situation in the water,” she said.

A fisherman, who wished to remain anonymous, made similar comments; saying that on average he loses half his catch of conch in the area.

“If I put out 100, I’ll lose like 50 conch because they’re clogged up with mud,” he said.

The workers now have to bring in conch from other areas, such as Potter’s Cay Dock or Arawak Cay.

“We take our conch home or first thing in the morning we have people bringing fresh conch for us every day,” Carson Culmer, of the same conch stand as Ms Rolle, said.

Mr Culmer added that the ongoing work has also changed the patterns of the fish.

“All the small fish that were normally around the seashore, all of them…left or just leave because of the mud.”

The Royal Nassau Sailing Club is responsible for the work in the area.

Yesterday, Commodore Brock Cole told The Tribune that the purpose of the dredging exercise is to restore a dock that was destroyed by Hurricane Matthew.

The work began in late December and is expected to be completed at the end of May.

“We are rebuilding what was destroyed,” Commodore Cole said. “We (are) also adding some land area to the land that we own, because we actually own part of the seabed.

“The bit of land that we have reclaimed we actually own that. And some of the bit farther out to where the breakwater is, is a government lease, which we’ve had for years and years and years. And we are basically reclaiming our docking facility and sailing facility.”

Contrary to speculation that the organisation had no permissions to engage in these works, Commodore Cole was very firm that everything was done “by the book”.

“We’ve received approval from three (agencies): the Ministry of Works, the Port Authority, and Environment; and the BEST Commission,” he said.

When asked if he is concerned at all about any environmental impact, Commodore Cole said according to their employed engineers and contractors, the impact will be “minimal, if any”.

He added he was not aware of any negative affects on conch or the patterns of fish.

However, Commodore Cole said a silt net is in use.

“We are employing Bahamas Marine Construction, who are the contractors. We have subcontractors, electricians and plumbers. And our engineers are CCS (Caribbean Coastal Services).

“As far as we are concerned, everything was done by the book, and we will continue to do so.

“This is not the first dredging that’s happened in the Bahamas nor will it be the last,” he added.

Numerous requests for statements from the ministers of works, environment, and fishing and marine resources were unanswered up to press time.