AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard.
By RIEL MAJOR
Tribune Staff Reporter
rmajor@tribunemedia.net
AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard yesterday said he believes The Bahamas will get to the point of “completely banning chumming in Bahamian waters”.
The announcement came as Mr Pintard opened a two-day international shark symposium which features major international experts who will discuss a wide range of issues relative to sharks, their handling and protection.
The symposium comes on the heels of the recent horrific shark attack which claimed the life of 21-year-old American college student Jordan Lindsey.
Mr Pintard told the meeting: “We have a very serious concern about the increase feeding of sharks - particularly in residential areas on the periphery of restaurants to attract customers - that to us is posing a problem given where it is occurring.
“In addition, we believe it is important that fishermen that are cleaning fish to discontinue discarding the waste portion of the fish water in close proximity to where persons are swimming. We are absolutely clear that is a disaster that is waiting to happen and we wish to move definitively decisively to address this issue.
“We are in the process of requiring those that are running tour operations, hoteliers and others who benefit commercially from any shark viewing interaction initiatives, that they have in place appropriate protocols. That is equipment that they themselves, the persons who are engaged are properly trained that they know exactly what to do in the rare event of incidents.
“It’s also important - and (I) strongly recommend and will take advice possibly encoding it in law - that we have a guide that are a part of these expeditions who will be on the lookout for sharks.”
The minister said they are in the process of introducing an amendment to the Bahamas legislation.
“We do not believe it is appropriate to criminalize an individual who is under threat of harm or death from a shark if they were to defend themselves and kill a shark. We are not going to go to the opposite extreme and maintain a law that works against the preservation of human life,” he said.
“We certainly don’t intend to do that, but I want to emphasize that we stand in solidarity with you in the important work that you are doing and as we build the capacity of those persons both in government and the private sector.”
He added: “We look forward to fruitful discussions about international funding opportunities that will allow us to do the proper work particularly since the Bahamas plays a pivotal role in where we are located and the work that we do and how that impacts, we believe, the rest of the region.”
Ms Lindsey died after a shark attack near Rose Island last month.
Comments
themessenger 5 years, 3 months ago
Another knee jerk reaction without any thought to the fallout. So will this ban include operations like Stuart Coves who has been providing shark dives for years without any attacks and which also provides a huge boost to our tourism product and to our economy? Sorry boys and girls, the guvment say we can't feed the sharks dem no more so we gatty close, yinna gatty go home. And what will you do about the fish and conch vendors who have been daily chumming the waters adjacent to Montague Beach and the Royal Nassau Sailing Club for years, close them down, relocate them? Carry yinna scrubby hip an carry yinna fish guts and conch slop when yinna gern. Ms. Lindsey's unfortunate death has created a storm in a teacup with all the talking suits and new brand "shark behavioral experts" queuing up for a sip.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 3 months ago
Just look at Pintard's face. Like so many in our society he's terrified, better still mortified, at the possibility of being eaten alive by a great big shark the next time he is knee deep in sea water. But he, himself, like so many among us, probaly cannot even swim. LMAO
DDK 5 years, 3 months ago
........and yet the Minister's comments have merit.
proudloudandfnm 5 years, 3 months ago
No they most certainly do not. His comments are dumb, bad. Ignorant as hell....
TO date not one human being has been attacked because of shark feedings. Not one. Not one has been attacked because someone cleans their catch and throws the guts in the water. Not one has been attacked because a restaurant feeds sharks. Not one has been attacked because of a shark dive. His comments are an ignorant reaction to a natural occurrence.....
TalRussell 5 years, 3 months ago
Despite their scary reputation our comrade native sharks do not eat tourists. Just what we sharks been lobbing for is for Imperialists red shirts governing politicians to place their free willy dining food-chain habits under string government regulations, yes, no .... the sharks been top guns in we Colony of Out Islands waters - long before Arawak Indians, Christoper Columbus, or the European colonisers arrived, yes, no .... more we colony's children's are harmed from living under poverty conditions than the statistics tourist eating sharks .... yet no urgent protect we children's symposiums are ever held .... Sharks social habits are not unlike native populaces - we enjoy free stuff ....
Sickened 5 years, 3 months ago
Lol! You're on point today.
The_Oracle 5 years, 3 months ago
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, usually an undesirable reaction. Something politicians have yet to understand but continually get burned by. Can we elect some intelligent people for a change, next time maybe?
proudloudandfnm 5 years, 3 months ago
What a slew of stupid ideas!! They been getting advice from trump hey???
Damn. This is just dumb....
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 3 months ago
Anything to divert our attention away from the Minnis-led FNM government's mismanagement of our country's economy on so many fronts. LMAO
Sickened 5 years, 3 months ago
Gubment should just ban sharks from swimming too close to humans; and when I say humans I mean our tourists. Much easier!!!
TalRussell 5 years, 3 months ago
Ma comrade, colony of out islands 'Gubment' have done excellent job at enforcing native populaces off we beaches, and keep we distance away from privileged gated communities, so why not post signs warn sharks keep their distance tourists , yes, no .... You just can't make this shark enforcement up .... we sharks, likes populaces - ain't much into listening foolishness Imperials red shirts are talking .... my fisherman buddy from Abaco - swears their sharks are creole bilingual ....so signs be posted both native tongues ...
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 3 months ago
Doesn't Minnis realise he can do this by the stroke of a pen, in much the same way he has stopped all Haitian illegal aliens from entering our country? LMAO
joeblow 5 years, 3 months ago
Too bad we can't do the same for politicians!
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 3 months ago
...ditto that.
licks2 5 years, 3 months ago
Or asinine comments and yard chicken thinking persons!!
sealice 5 years, 3 months ago
why do these people feel they can speak on a subject that they have absolutely no inkling of a clue of WTF they are saying?
You might as well elect Fluckin Brent!! if you think you gonna stop people from cleaning fish and tossing the guts back in the water.
This is what happens when you get in the water live with it or die with it .. it is what it is and if you think you are going to change mother nature.....well then you are still the fool talking bout dings ya don't know nofin habout......
licks2 5 years, 3 months ago
They hate to think that they got it all wrong when they ban shark and turtle killing at the same time!! Turtles breed like rabbits. . .shark love turtle. . .turtle like swimming close where people go to swim. . .shark go there to get turtles for dinner. . .shark are extremely territorial. . .ergo. . .plenty turtles equals plenty sharks!! The environmentalists are wrong on this one. . .they will have to cull either turtles or sharks. . .our shark attack rate is one of, if not the highest in the world!! We been chumming for over five decades. . .throwing fish gut overboard since Columbus them trow hem fish guts overboard.
Sickened 5 years, 3 months ago
I'm pretty sure Columbus threw some Africans overboard as well.
proudloudandfnm 5 years, 3 months ago
Dude. You have no idea what you're talking about. Wow....
Damifiknow 5 years, 3 months ago
Take the bucket of fish gut to the big pink building and leave it for them land sharks The one taking the biggest bite out of everything you work for!
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