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A Cabinet minister yesterday said Canada has promised to help The Bahamas combat illegal fisheries poaching in its waters by monitoring “dark ships from space” via satellite.
Elsworth Johnson, minister for financial services, trade and industry and Immigration, said the changes introduced by the Fisheries Bill 2020 and accompanying Immigration Act reforms - which bar foreigners from working on Bahamian-owned fishing vessels even though they may have legal status in this nation - are “not of recent vintage”.
Pointing out that successive administrations have been grappling with illegal poaching, and arguments over whether fisheries should be reserved for Bahamian workers only, Mr Johnson said the protection of this nation s marine resources was critical for the country s sovereignty and economic stability.
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An advocacy group representing the fisheries industry s major wholesalers and processors is still crying foul over the Fisheries Bill 2020, reigniting divisions within the sector.
Errol Davis, spokesperson for the Coalition For Responsible Fishing (CFRF), which represents the likes of Paradise Fisheries and Geneva Brass Seafood, described the bill as placing fish rights above a Bahamian Women s Rights Bill as it bars foreign fishermen - even those here legally on work permits, or spousal permits, as they are married to Bahamian women - from working on local vessels.
He argued that it discriminates against women married to Dominican fishermen, some of whom have been living in the country with their spouses for more than 20 years ,and are entitled to work. The passing of the Fisheries Bill, in addition to accompanying changes to the Immigration Act, means these workers will not be permitted on Bahamian vessels in Bahamian waters any longer.
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A fisheries advocacy body has backed the Government s plan to ban conch exports by 2022 as well as its plan to ban foreign nationals from working on Bahamian-owned fishing vessels.
Paul Mailis, director of the National Fisheries Association of The Bahamas (NFA), told Tribune Business he had desired a conch ban for many years” after Michael Pintard, minister for agriculture and fisheries, told Parliament a ban on exports would be introduced within two years.
The Fisheries Bill, which was introduced to Parliament on Wednesday, has held to the Government s position on banning foreigners from working on Bahamian fishing vessels - an issue that has caused a split in the industry
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NASSAU, BAHAMAS The Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance (BCFA) yesterday commended the government for the tabling and passing of the new fisheries bill, describing it as “progressive”.
The Fisheries Bill, 2020 repeals the Fisheries Resources (Jurisdiction and Conservation) Act, 1977, and seeks to prevent individuals who are not citizens of The Bahamas from engaging in commercial fishing. The Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which seeks to ensure that work permits are not granted for commercial fishing, was also passed in Parliament on Wednesday.
The BCFA said yesterday in a statement: ”The Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance commends the government for the tabling and [passing] of the new Fisheries Bill. The unanimous consent solidifies the lower house’s agreement to the bill and we anticipate the same for the upper house in due course. The new fisheries bill replaces the Bahamas Fisheries Resource Jurisdiction Act and is a progressive bill contai