Klao Bell, Staff Reporter
THE fishing is not good, for local fishermen.
The unstable weather conditions of the past few months have caused the price of fish to rise and fall drastically.
Also fluctuating is the livelihood of local fishermen who are also grappling with tough trade and territorial war.
In some parts of the island, fishermen return to shore with empty nets and half-empty fish pots.
Imports
In other parts, fishermen watch helplessly as boats from Honduras and Columbia pull up on their beach and sell at lower prices to buyers who used to be their customers.
"More than 50,000 pounds of fish is imported from South America every year, now the boats come from other territories and sell right here on the beach and flood the place with fish," said Havelan Honeyghan, vice chairman of the Jamaica Fisherman's Co-operative.
At his beach, in Whitehouse, Westmoreland and at beaches along Black River, St. Elizabeth, the price of fish, which should sell at around $110 ($49.88 per kg) per pound, in this time of scarcity, has been driven down to $90 per pound ($40.86 per kg).
Mocking the effort on the island's coastlines, supermarkets across the island are consistently stocked with imported fish from Guyana, Honduras and Mexico.
Most consumers don't know or ask about the difference, as the fish, in many cases are not labelled imported.
Banga Mary is sold for an average of $124 per kg (56.23 per lb.), gourmet trout for $192 per kg ($87.07 per lb.) and Red Snapper $232 per kg ($105.21 per lb.).
Local snapper in the supermarkets sells for an average of $278.56 per kg ($126.07 per lb).
"We import the Red Trout and Grey Snapper, Mangrove, King Fish and filets. About 90 per cent of the salt-water fish in super markets are imported especially those sliced or sold on the tray pack. People can't get the size and the variety they want from the local fish," said Tamara Garel, purchaser at Grace, Kennedy and Company.
Grace, Kennedy, one of approximately 12 companies that import from countries like Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad, benefits from the duty free advantage afforded by CARICOM agreements.
According to the Export Trade Report, published by The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), US$51.4 million worth of fish, crustacean and molluscs were imported in 2000, while US$9.9 million was exported.
At the end of the first half of this year, imports stood at US$29.2 million and exports were US$3 million.
Can't compete
Jamaica's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) includes up to 200 miles of sea but local fishermen rarely venture out. They can't compete because they lack the boats and other resources to tackle the deeper waters.
"We're not catching fish like first time because of the pollution. We need bigger boats to go further distances to catch. Most of us have small boats and have to stay along the coast," said Ian Clarke, a fisherman from Greenwich Town fishing village.
Fishermen feel that the Government has abandoned them and should assist them in getting bigger boats.
But Richard Kelly, of the fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture explained how such an effort was previously thwarted.
"Some time ago a revolving loan scheme existed but, the Fisheries Division had great difficulties collecting the payments and scheme collapsed," Mr. Kelly explained.
The island's estimated 20,000 fishermen are further disadvantaged by disunity, petty squabbles and piracy. Fishermen in Whitehouse are threatening to arm themselves with weapons and faster boats to go after St. Elizabeth fishermen who they accuse of stealing their pots.
"The entire hurricane season bad for fishermen, this week was the first time we're getting a break and while I spent $13,000 to go to sea, I barely make $6,000 and some men are coming back with thousands of dollars in lobster. We don't want a war but this is our livelihood and if it comes to this we're going to have to get guns and go after them because they carrying guns too," Mr. Honeyghan said.
