Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Government's apparent unwillingness to invest in what is considered a potential multimillion-dollar Diamond Back Squid industry is causing much frustration among fisherfolk in Montego Bay, St. James, who believe the untapped industry could solve their economic woes.

"We are extremely frustrated because we could be generating millions of dollars from this industry," said Troy Jump, the president of the Whitehouse Fisher Folk Cooperation Limited (WFFCL). "The Japanese are ready to partner us but the Government is not showing any interest."

Diamond Squid

The Diamond Squid, which fisherfolk have been seeing in abundance off Jamaica's north coast for the past 20 years, belong to a diverse group of marine molluscs and are popular in cuisine in Japan and the United States. It is currently a US$100 million industry in Japan, which experts say has far less squids than Jamaica.

"We caught a squid in March that weighed 33 pounds," said Mr. Jump, who noted that squids are sold at approximately US$20 per pound in countries where they are consumed. "Japanese investors have come here and are quite excited at the quantity and quality of squids seen here."

While it appears that Government is unwilling to inject the J$10 million required to procure cold storage facilities, freezers and a specially equipped boat to start the industry, at least one unnamed Canadian investor is said to be expressing an interest in the project and has been in dialogue with local fishing interest.

Tonderful economic opportunity

Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) President, Horace Peterkin, who has close ties with the WFFCL and first raised the matter of the untapped squid industry at a Gleaner Editors' Forum in Montego Bay earlier this year, remains convinced that it is a wonderful economic opportunity that is not being exploited.

"The financial possibilities to Jamaica are limitless as the total squid casting (cocoons that burst open to release new squid eggs) found in Japan is only about 10 per cent of what our local fishermen have been spotting off the island's north coast," Mr. Peterkin told The Gleaner. "If properly developed, this industry could solve all the problems now facing the local fishing industry."

Takahiko Yasuda, of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, who has made many trips along the north coast with representatives of the WFFCL, has stated that, based on the vast number of squid casting he has seen, he believes Jamaica could outdo Japan in terms of earning from the Diamond Squid.