Duenas, 63, has been president of the Guam Fishermen s Cooperative Association since 1995. He s been fishing most of his adult life, and was taught the trade by his uncle and others. He said the live-fire training range under construction at Ritidian, and its associated surface danger zone, diminishes fishing. We ve always been known as a seafaring community. Now the ocean is being closed off to us.
The danger zone, currently under review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, would be about 3,660 acres, extending into the Pacific Ocean about 2.8 miles from the north coast of Guam along the Guam National Wildlife Refuge. It would intermittently restrict all access to the zone to ensure public safety during small arms training activities up to 75% of the year, or 273 days annually.