Bonafide fishermen to remain

Chairman of the Chaguaramas Development Authority Gupte Lutchmedial said bonafide fishermen will remain based in Alcan Bay. A bonafide fisherman, he said, is any fisherman who can provide legitimacy of his operations as a fisherman. He said the area has been reserved as a designated area for fishing for decades and this will not change.

"No, the fishermen do not have to move from Alcan Bay. It is reserved for them. There are plans being made for renovation to the area," Lutchmedial said.

He said the issue is with boats stored on land, pleasure boats, improper structures, and illegal fishermen, and the MP for Diego Martin West is putting plans in place for the construction of a fishing port in Alcan. Lutchmedial said when the fishing port is built, infrastructure used by fishermen will be replaced with updated structures.

Asked how soon fishermen can look forward to construction, he said there was no specific time frame, but the Ministry of Agriculture would be responsible for the project.

Lutchmedial said the structures built by the fishermen for storage of engines and machinery necessary for work will not be demolished or removed until replacement buildings are constructed.