Cocorite fishermen appeal for protection from thieves

The Cocorite Fish Market Association is asking Government to take action to help stop the continued theft at the Cocorite Fishing Centre and the robbery of its fishermen.

The association's president, Anthony “Morgan” Jackson, told Sunday Newsday its members lost 14 boats and engines over the past year. And although various reports have been made to the police and Coast Guard, and requests for assistance made to other authorities, nothing has been done.

He said around 5 am on Saturday, when fishermen went to the Cocorite Fishing Centre they found four boats missing. The coast guard and other fishermen found the boats drifting in the Gulf of Paria with engines and other equipment like ice boxes, ropes and anchors missing.

Also, in March, several fishermen were robbed by gunpoint. The police took statements from the victims but their equipment was never recovered, nor were the culprits found.

He said about a year ago he wrote a letter to the police commissioner, the Prime Minister, and the ministries of National Security and Agriculture, Land and Fisheries requesting lights and cameras for the centre. He said officials visited and looked around but no one returned and nothing resulted from the visit.

“On Monday morning I intend to go to (police commissioner) Gary Griffith, to (national security minister) Stuart Young, to the Prime Minister’s office, and I’m going to the ministry of fisheries also because this is wrong. We keep being affected by and keep incurring this great loss.”

He said one fisherman had his boat and engine stolen late last year. He rebuilt his boat and bought another engine but became a victim once again on Saturday.

“It’s poor people being affect here, and an engine costs between $45,000 to over $100,000. Something needs to be done about this. We need help from the government even if it’s something to serve as a deterrent like some security cameras, a police post, something.”

In a release, corporate secretary of Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS), Gary Aboud, offered a $10,000 reward for any information leading to the recovery of the four engines.

“As we write these engines are on the move. It is believed that the engines have been offloaded in south Trinidad and FFOS are appealing to all seamen and coastal stakeholders to be on high alert and on the lookout for these engines. There are two 75Hp Yamaha Engines, a 40x Yamaha engine and a 48Hp Yamaha engine.”