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.Government moves to protect fragile fishing industryBY GARFIELD MYERS Editor at large, South Central Bureau myersg@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, January 25, 2009
SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth - The question was hardly unexpected but it still triggered pause and a sharp intake of breath.
"How you going to protect fishing when the government can't protect Jamaica from crime?" asked an elderly fisherman during a forum to discuss the draft of the National Fisheries Policy at Treasure Beach in south west St Elizabeth last September.
There is a growing paradox of 'too many fishers chasing too few fish'.
The reply, when it came from Agriculture Minister Christopher Tufton and the long-standing head of the ministry's Fisheries Division Andre Kong, was also predictable.
The authorities can't do it alone, they said. Fisherfolk and everyone with or without a direct stake in fishing would have to help through "self enforcement" and the reporting of breaches of fishing regulations whenever and wherever they occur.
"We know that we cannot do the policing all by ourselves, it's not possible," declared Kong. He referred to Pedro Banks, the large fish-rich area just south of Jamaica as well as the nation's large maritime area to illustrate the degree of difficulty.
"Pedro Banks is three-quarters the size of Jamaica. The maritime state that we (Jamaica) have is 24/25 times the size of mainland Jamaica. It's not going to work if it is only the Fisheries Division and the police alone. What we need is for all of us to manage the thing as partners," said Kong.
Tufton echoed similar sentiments, arguing that if fishermen do not themselves police their sector, antisocial practices such as dynamiting of fish and the intrusion of unlicensed operators could so deplete fish stocks as to make fishing unviable.
"Fishers are going to have to understand that it is in their interest to report breaches because if we don't do that, the system is not going to work," said Tufton. "It may appear as if it's not your business (but) the truth is that in other jurisdictions self enforcement is proven as the most effective enforcement," the minister added.
Last September's forum in Treasure Beach was the first of five final "consultations" across the island between the fisheries division and fisherfolk to determine priorities ahead of the promulgation of a comprehensively upgraded Fishing Industry Act within the next few months.
Tufton said the legislation, which is intended to set the tone for a drastic change in the way fishing is conducted in Jamaican marine jurisdictions, should be tabled in Parliament before the close of the legislative year in March.
The discussions with fisherfolk in recent months followed even more extensive and formalised policy consultations - described by Kong as unprecedented in its scope - which were funded by the United Nation's FAO in 2003.
Back then, according to Anginette Murray, fisheries officer, the "participatory approach" was triggered by the recognition that the Fisheries Division could not afford to simply "sit in Kingston and speak to what happens . we involved everybody and all stakeholders were consulted".
Central to the discussion down the years has been the growing paradox of "too many fishers chasing too few fish". Experts, researchers and fishermen alike agree that loss of habitat for marine life is a major difficulty. The problem has been made worse by natural phenomena such as hurricanes. And even more so human intervention - overfishing, bad and antisocial habits including the use of dynamite with the short-term goal of increasing harvest and poor environmental practices which are steadily undermining fish nurseries such as reefs and mangroves.
Fishermen, large and small, say their situation is weakened by the increasing cost of "everything" from gasoline to wire for their fish pots, the troubling and growing problem of piracy and poaching at sea and the intrusion of larger "foreign" boats especially from Central America.
The most obvious need is for greater regulation to ensure sustainability of an industry, which in 2003, was said to have contributed $1,113.9 million to Jamaica's Gross Domestic Product. The Fisheries Division said that in 2001, total exports amounted to 1,363,693 kg, valued at US$ 11.4 million and accounted for eight per cent of all Agricultural exports. The significant expansion in exports of fish from 1997 to 2000s was attributable to the growth of the lobster and conch sub-sectors, as well as the expansion of inland fresh water fish farms.
Fish sector sources say that with the withdrawal of Jamaica Broilers from the fresh water fish export market, current export figures could be significantly down compared to earlier in the decade.
While employment figures are also not precise, the industry, according to the Fisheries Division, contributes "to direct and indirect employment of over 40,000 persons and contributes to the local economy of many fishing communities, and makes an indirect contribution to the livelihoods of over 200,000".
The need for increased regulation was underlined by the 2008 Auditor General's report on the fishing sector according to a recent Observer article. It was reported then that close to 90 per cent of the island's documented fishers are not registered while more than 95 per cent of fishing vessels are unlicensed.
The AG's report said that fewer than 2,000 of 17,000 documented fishers are registered while only 187 of 5,000 vessels are licensed.
If all goes according to plan, the situation will gradually change following the passage of upgraded legislation which will incorporate a zoning policy in Jamaican fishing areas with strict access limitations.
There will be a drastic change in the degree of punishment for those who breach the rules governing fishing.
Currently, the maximum fine under the fishing industry act is a laughable $5,000 but according to Kong "we are now looking at $2m and $5m fines so it is now going to make it a little more difficult for those perpetrators to destroy our marine environment."
Tufton is insistent that the government will move to "enforce the laws when people are found in breach. And if it means a million dollars or two months in jail, I tell you the truth, I am not going to take sympathy on people who carry dynamite out there to destroy the fish and end up killing the future of the industry."
Self enforcement apart, Tufton argues that critical to success in ensuring laws are obeyed will be greater co-ordination between the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coastguard, the Marine Police, fisheries officers and the special constabulary.
"We are going to have to do some work to co-ordinate enforcement a little better." said Tufton. "If there is specific intelligence, it may trigger co-ordination but under routine and normal circumstances not enough co-ordination takes place. The JDF is further out at sea, the marine police is further in so they have some jurisdictional areas that they are responsible for but I don't get the impression that there is sufficient co-ordination taking place, we intend to enhance the dialogue around greater co-ordination," the agriculture minister added.
He is hopeful that with reform of fishing will come "more personnel in terms of the enforcement at all levels".
Even more central to sustainability will be the expansion of fish sanctuaries to nurture the rapid recovery of depleted stocks at sea. To this end, Tufton recently announced Cabinet's approval for nine fish sanctuaries in seven areas around Jamaica's coastline at Portland Bight in St Catherine and Clarendon, Black River Bay, Bluefields Bay, Orange Bay, Montego Bay, Discovery Bay and Oracabessa Bay. The new sanctuaries will be in addition to two existing at the Bogue Islands Lagoon in Montego Bay; and Bowden in St Thomas.
"Management and enforcement" of the sanctuaries which are expected to embrace the involvement and support of local fishing groups will be funded with $32.9 million to begin with, and an annual $34.92 million drawn from the Ministry of Agriculture's budget.
As part of an effort to sustain the highly profitable lobster sub-sector, Tufton said that - starting this year - in addition to the annual three-monthly ban on reaping of the crustacean delicacy, storage will also be outlawed during that period between April 1 and June 30.
"Let's face it, part of the problem is that if you are allowed to store it . the lobster don't have a breathing space . because people will say they caught it before the (closed) season or they caught it somewhere else.," the agriculture minister said.
The largest deposits of another popular shell fish delicacy, conch, are reputedly found in Jamaican waters. A cess on the commodity will provide an estimated $60-70 million annually which Tufton says will be committed to the development of the fisheries sector.
Development will incorporate the gradual installation of basic infrastructure - not least sanitary facilities - at fishing beaches nationwide, including the Pedro Cays.
It's all part and parcel of the effort to get fisherfolk to "sign on" to the imperative of modernising and regularising their industry. For as Tufton puts it "no matter what we do, if the fishers are not in agreement with what we are doing, it won't work. The biggest enforcement that we will get is going to come from self enforcement".
.Government moves to protect fragile fishing industryBY GARFIELD MYERS Editor at large, South Central Bureau myersg@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, January 25, 2009
SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth - The question was hardly unexpected but it still triggered pause and a sharp intake of breath.
"How you going to protect fishing when the government can't protect Jamaica from crime?" asked an elderly fisherman during a forum to discuss the draft of the National Fisheries Policy at Treasure Beach in south west St Elizabeth last September.
There is a growing paradox of 'too many fishers chasing too few fish'. The reply, when it came from Agriculture Minister Christopher Tufton and the long-standing head of the ministry's Fisheries Division Andre Kong, was also predictable.
The authorities can't do it alone, they said. Fisherfolk and everyone with or without a direct stake in fishing would have to help through "self enforcement" and the reporting of breaches of fishing regulations whenever and wherever they occur.
"We know that we cannot do the policing all by ourselves, it's not possible," declared Kong. He referred to Pedro Banks, the large fish-rich area just south of Jamaica as well as the nation's large maritime area to illustrate the degree of difficulty.
"Pedro Banks is three-quarters the size of Jamaica. The maritime state that we (Jamaica) have is 24/25 times the size of mainland Jamaica. It's not going to work if it is only the Fisheries Division and the police alone. What we need is for all of us to manage the thing as partners," said Kong.
Tufton echoed similar sentiments, arguing that if fishermen do not themselves police their sector, antisocial practices such as dynamiting of fish and the intrusion of unlicensed operators could so deplete fish stocks as to make fishing unviable.
"Fishers are going to have to understand that it is in their interest to report breaches because if we don't do that, the system is not going to work," said Tufton. "It may appear as if it's not your business (but) the truth is that in other jurisdictions self enforcement is proven as the most effective enforcement," the minister added.
Last September's forum in Treasure Beach was the first of five final "consultations" across the island between the fisheries division and fisherfolk to determine priorities ahead of the promulgation of a comprehensively upgraded Fishing Industry Act within the next few months.
Tufton said the legislation, which is intended to set the tone for a drastic change in the way fishing is conducted in Jamaican marine jurisdictions, should be tabled in Parliament before the close of the legislative year in March.
The discussions with fisherfolk in recent months followed even more extensive and formalised policy consultations - described by Kong as unprecedented in its scope - which were funded by the United Nation's FAO in 2003.
Back then, according to Anginette Murray, fisheries officer, the "participatory approach" was triggered by the recognition that the Fisheries Division could not afford to simply "sit in Kingston and speak to what happens . we involved everybody and all stakeholders were consulted".
Central to the discussion down the years has been the growing paradox of "too many fishers chasing too few fish". Experts, researchers and fishermen alike agree that loss of habitat for marine life is a major difficulty. The problem has been made worse by natural phenomena such as hurricanes. And even more so human intervention - overfishing, bad and antisocial habits including the use of dynamite with the short-term goal of increasing harvest and poor environmental practices which are steadily undermining fish nurseries such as reefs and mangroves.
Fishermen, large and small, say their situation is weakened by the increasing cost of "everything" from gasoline to wire for their fish pots, the troubling and growing problem of piracy and poaching at sea and the intrusion of larger "foreign" boats especially from Central America.
The most obvious need is for greater regulation to ensure sustainability of an industry, which in 2003, was said to have contributed $1,113.9 million to Jamaica's Gross Domestic Product. The Fisheries Division said that in 2001, total exports amounted to 1,363,693 kg, valued at US$ 11.4 million and accounted for eight per cent of all Agricultural exports. The significant expansion in exports of fish from 1997 to 2000s was attributable to the growth of the lobster and conch sub-sectors, as well as the expansion of inland fresh water fish farms.
Fish sector sources say that with the withdrawal of Jamaica Broilers from the fresh water fish export market, current export figures could be significantly down compared to earlier in the decade.
While employment figures are also not precise, the industry, according to the Fisheries Division, contributes "to direct and indirect employment of over 40,000 persons and contributes to the local economy of many fishing communities, and makes an indirect contribution to the livelihoods of over 200,000".
The need for increased regulation was underlined by the 2008 Auditor General's report on the fishing sector according to a recent Observer article. It was reported then that close to 90 per cent of the island's documented fishers are not registered while more than 95 per cent of fishing vessels are unlicensed.
The AG's report said that fewer than 2,000 of 17,000 documented fishers are registered while only 187 of 5,000 vessels are licensed.
If all goes according to plan, the situation will gradually change following the passage of upgraded legislation which will incorporate a zoning policy in Jamaican fishing areas with strict access limitations.
There will be a drastic change in the degree of punishment for those who breach the rules governing fishing.
Currently, the maximum fine under the fishing industry act is a laughable $5,000 but according to Kong "we are now looking at $2m and $5m fines so it is now going to make it a little more difficult for those perpetrators to destroy our marine environment."
Tufton is insistent that the government will move to "enforce the laws when people are found in breach. And if it means a million dollars or two months in jail, I tell you the truth, I am not going to take sympathy on people who carry dynamite out there to destroy the fish and end up killing the future of the industry."
Self enforcement apart, Tufton argues that critical to success in ensuring laws are obeyed will be greater co-ordination between the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coastguard, the Marine Police, fisheries officers and the special constabulary.
"We are going to have to do some work to co-ordinate enforcement a little better." said Tufton. "If there is specific intelligence, it may trigger co-ordination but under routine and normal circumstances not enough co-ordination takes place. The JDF is further out at sea, the marine police is further in so they have some jurisdictional areas that they are responsible for but I don't get the impression that there is sufficient co-ordination taking place, we intend to enhance the dialogue around greater co-ordination," the agriculture minister added.
He is hopeful that with reform of fishing will come "more personnel in terms of the enforcement at all levels".
Even more central to sustainability will be the expansion of fish sanctuaries to nurture the rapid recovery of depleted stocks at sea. To this end, Tufton recently announced Cabinet's approval for nine fish sanctuaries in seven areas around Jamaica's coastline at Portland Bight in St Catherine and Clarendon, Black River Bay, Bluefields Bay, Orange Bay, Montego Bay, Discovery Bay and Oracabessa Bay. The new sanctuaries will be in addition to two existing at the Bogue Islands Lagoon in Montego Bay; and Bowden in St Thomas.
"Management and enforcement" of the sanctuaries which are expected to embrace the involvement and support of local fishing groups will be funded with $32.9 million to begin with, and an annual $34.92 million drawn from the Ministry of Agriculture's budget.
As part of an effort to sustain the highly profitable lobster sub-sector, Tufton said that - starting this year - in addition to the annual three-monthly ban on reaping of the crustacean delicacy, storage will also be outlawed during that period between April 1 and June 30.
"Let's face it, part of the problem is that if you are allowed to store it . the lobster don't have a breathing space . because people will say they caught it before the (closed) season or they caught it somewhere else.," the agriculture minister said.
The largest deposits of another popular shell fish delicacy, conch, are reputedly found in Jamaican waters. A cess on the commodity will provide an estimated $60-70 million annually which Tufton says will be committed to the development of the fisheries sector.
Development will incorporate the gradual installation of basic infrastructure - not least sanitary facilities - at fishing beaches nationwide, including the Pedro Cays.
It's all part and parcel of the effort to get fisherfolk to "sign on" to the imperative of modernising and regularising their industry. For as Tufton puts it "no matter what we do, if the fishers are not in agreement with what we are doing, it won't work. The biggest enforcement that we will get is going to come from self enforcement".