Respect due to fisherfolk!

Peter Espeut

THE FOOD and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations declares June 29 each year (the Feast of St. Peter the Fisherman) as International Fishermen's Day. Many Caribbean countries and territories observe it and give due recognition to their fishers, who risk their lives going to sea in small open boats.

In some Caribbean countries, the week surrounding the day is observed as Fisherman's Week, and exhibitions and displays, sports and games take place which "big up" the fishing community. We do not do this in Jamaica. We do not give recognition to the men and women involved in the capture and sale of fish, probably because they are totally in the informal sector and are considered poor. Despite their contribution to food security, fisherfolk are positioned quite low on the scale of social status, and are largely ignored by the wider society. Indeed, fishing has been treated as a sump for the unemployed, absorbing un-skilled persons who cannot find employment elsewhere.

The Jamaican fishery is open to everyone as if resources are unlimited; very few regulations exist, and there has been no enforcement of the few laws we have. For example, provision for the declaration of fish sanctuaries has been sparsely used; even now, there is no minimum fishpot mesh size stipulated in law. Although one needs a license to fish, the licence is free (except to fish on the Pedro Cays: that licence costs ten Jamaican cents per year) and is freely available.

The number of fishers has been allowed to rise so that income per fisher has declined; so they fish harder. The stock of fish is finite, and Jamaica's total catch has sharply declined over the last twenty years, despite the fact that our fishers are going further out. What we are allowing is not sustainable, and CARICOM has determined that Jamaica has the most overfished waters in the Caribbean.

This should set off warning bells at the Ministry of Agriculture (bearing in mind the recent collapse of the Canadian cod fishery, which after eight years of no-fishing has not yet recovered), but the government seems only interested in the high-value lobster and conch resources, and has ignored the largely small-scale (artisanal) finfish sector.

In addition to the financial risk, the fishing profession involves risk to life and limb; each year several fishers pay the ultimate price. You would think that being out in a small boat with a small engine would compel fishers to stock up on safety equipment like lifejackets and signal flares not just because it is the law, but because it is common sense and in their own self-interest; but having these gear is the exception rather than the rule, and there is no enforcement. So the corner of the artisanal fishers looks dark, which is both problem and opportunity. It is an opportunity because if fishers could only get their act together, they could solve most of their problems themselves!

This is what is happening in the Portland Bight area of St. Catherine and Clarendon. With the help of an NGO, the fishers of Hellshire and Old Harbour Bay in St. Catherine, and Welcome Beach, Mitchell Town, Portland Cottage and Rocky Point in Clarendon have joined with relevant Government agencies to form the Portland Bight Fisheries Management Council (PBFMC).

Last Friday, Fisherman's Day was their sixth anniversary; they have had 67 monthly meetings since June 1995, and three symposia on fisheries management. And the record of their achievements is substantial. They began by reviewing all existing fisheries legislation and found them wanting, so they drafted a suite of regulations they felt would restore and increase fish stocks. They have recommended fees for permits to fish, and penalties for breaches of the regulations. Noted Caribbean fisheries scientist Dr. Robin Mahon, has predicted that if the PBFMC-drafted regulations are implemented, the catch in Portland Bight should more than double in seven years! About fifty Portland Bight fishers have been appointed Honorary Game Wardens and Fisheries Inspectors by the Governor-General under the Wildlife Protection Act and the Fishing Industry Act. They receive training annually, and are responsible for enforcing existing laws. They are respected by their peers, especially since they have a 100 per cent conviction rate so far in court! These fishers are not prepared just to complain; they are taking action to protect the marine resources which is the source of their livelihood!

Let us give respect and pay tribute to Jamaican fisherfolk men and women who are trying to make their industry work. Let us hope that others will support them in their efforts to improve their lot and the patrimony that Jamaica will bequeath to those yet unborn.

Peter Espeut is a sociologist and Executive Director of an Environment and Development NGO.

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