Spencer: bill critical to revamped fishing sector

The Fisheries Management Bill is critical to the revamping of Tobago’s Fisheries Department and to sustainable development and management of the marine and aquatic resources of Trinidad and Tobago, said Hayden Spencer, Secretary for the Division of Food Production and Fisheries.

The legislation proposes to manage and direct sustainable development of fisheries and fishing practices to maintain resources over time and made available for future generations, he said.

He was speaking at last Thursday’s consultation on the draft bill at the Conference Centre of the Division of Environment at Shaw Park.

Spencer identified several issues in the fisheries sector in Tobago for attention - overfishing, illegal fishing and industrial fishing, safety of fishermen, the seaworthiness of fishing vessels and equipment and certification and licensing of fishermen, and noted that the bill was expected to allow sustainable development and management of TT marine resources.

The focus, he said, would be on protecting and sustaining marine and coastal ecosystems, regulating harnessing and ending overfishing, dealing with illegal fishing practices and conserving 10 percent of the coastal and marine area.

He also identified other issues for attention on Tobago – increased revenue for fishermen, employment stability, better social provisions for education and for fishermen who may discontinue fisheries employment.

“It is fully recognised that this is a national issue, notwithstanding the challenges that may be identified in the fisheries in Tobago in a different manner from Trinidad,” he added.

Elizabeth Mohammed, Director of Fisheries, reminded gathered fishermen that they must consider the economic and social impact of fishing, the effects on the environment, pollution of marine habitats and climate change - all keeping in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development goals.

“These will affect how the fish move and where they end up because they will always go where the environment is best for them,” Mohammed advised.

She said that for fisheries to function successfully, data must come from all stakeholders in the sector, and that the Fisheries Management Bill caters for the collection of data and scientific research “to help us know the status of our stock and to predict future stocks.”

“We have to take action now, we have to do something otherwise we will lose our resources,” she said.

Mohammed said the current act – the Fisheries Management Act- was limited in scope “because it doesn’t allow the kind of regulation-making power to be able to effectively manage fisheries.