Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Pearnel Charles Jr, yesterday handed over 50 sanctuary boundary marker buoys valued at US$7,500 to the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (CCAM).
The markers, which are funded by the World Bank under the Promoting Community –Based Climate Resilience in the Fisheries Sector Project, will be placed in the special fishery conservatory areas and will be used to support and strengthen the National Fisheries Authority’s enforcement efforts.
Speaking at the handover ceremony held at the Portland Bight Discovery Center in Clarendon, the Agriculture and Fisheries Minister said the markers will impact illegal, unreported and unregulatory fishing practices within the coastal areas as well as identify the positions of the protected areas.
“The installation of these markers will also assist enforcement personnel as they will visually show the enforcement team from any vantage point in a protected area if someone is in breach. Importantly, it will show fishermen where not to fish,” said Charles Jr.
The Minister reminded fishers that there should be no interference within the sanctuary and that any removal or object blocking the free passage of fish or anything in the sanctuary can attract significant fines of up to a maximum of $3 million in a Parish Court and an undefined sum in the Supreme Court.
Minister Charles Jr commended the fish sanctuary managers and staff for the work being carried out, noting that among the improvements identified are iincreased abundance and diversity, improved size of resident fish, increased number and viability of species in surrounding waters, and increased catch compared to results in areas surrounding the reserves.
Additionally, he said that with the establishment of the 18 sanctuaries, there has been a reduction in the probability of extinction of threatened species.
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