Dolphins destroying fishermen's pots By Nagra Plunkett, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU: DOLPHINS ARE putting a strain on the livelihood of fishermen at the Whitehouse Fishing Village in Westmoreland by destroying their fish pots. The men, who are solely dependent on the sea for a livelihood, contend that for the past six years they have to accept the problem of these mammals destroying their fish pots. Franklyn Wright, a fisherman from the fishing village for over 50 years, told The Gleaner that the dolphins could be seen along the coast of Savanna-la-Mar to Black River. He said that they have been spotted as close as the pier of the fishing village. Some of them, Mr. Wright mentioned, have been seen with tags suggesting that someone owns them. "I only work fi nutten... days on top a days and a can't get a fish," the seasoned fisherman said. Before the mammals were found out, the men thought that other fishermen were destroying the pots. Mr. Wright said that it takes as long as two weeks to retrieve the pots that were set to catch the fish. Ian Jones, Senior Fisheries Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, confirmed that he has received reports from the Whitehouse fishermen. "It is a long-standing complaint from the fishermen," he said. "I would think that the dolphins are attracted to the fish in the pots." In the meantime the fishermen are asking the relevant authorities at the Ministry of Agricul-ture if any action can be taken in the matter. The men, who say they are already struggling with high oil prices, poor garbage collection from the village and piracy on the sea, insist that they cannot cope with the mammals.
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