OVERFISHING IN TT WATERS

Overfishing in Trinidad and Tobago’s waters along with the indiscriminate use of the Italian-type small mesh seine which traps young fish, has resulted in a shortage of fish during the current Lenten season, the period of the year when the commodity is in greatest demand. It is a problem with which fellow Caricom country, Barbados has been faced for several years, with particular respect to the popular flying fish, and which led to a measure of misunderstanding between Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, when some Barbadian fishermen insisted on unrestricted fishing in this country’s waters. The shortage is not an overnight phenomenon. It had been building for several decades and had resulted in many local fishermen operating illegally in Venezuelan waters in an effort to obtain profitable catches. 

This had led to uncomfortable confrontation with Venezuela’s Guardia Nacional and Venezuelan fishermen, among others. The situation was regularised with the Governments of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago holding discussions and reaching agreement on the issuing of annual licences to nationals of both countries to fish in each other’s waters for prescribed periods. Meanwhile, the insistence by all too many Trinidad and Tobago fishermen on using Italian seines in the country’s as well as nearby international waters meant not only a depletion of stocks, but a killing off of young fish caught in the nets and later dumped back into the sea. It was a short-sighted approach as the young fish destroyed in this way were no longer available for contributing to the replenishing of stocks.

For while those in the trade may have sought to rationalise overfishing, however unwise the process has been, the wilful killing of small fish remains inexcusable,foolish and short-sighted. Two crucial long-term steps are needed to be taken by Government if we are to protect what is left of our fish stocks. Government will need not only to impose but to compel observance of an outright ban on Italian-type seine as well as introduce and enforce legislation limiting fishing in different areas of the country’s waters to certain months of the year.  And while this may appear harsh it is a practical method to allow for Trinidad and Tobago’s conserving of its fish for future generations.

The mistake made by Barbados in exhausting its supplies of flying fish through overfishing, largely to satisfy the demands of visitors to whom the country was and is still being marketed as the land of the flying fish need not be made by us. It was an error made by Canada, as well, this time in the permitting of overfishing of cod for decades until the supplies were severely depleted and Canada has had to take preventive action for several years now.  Meanwhile, Government negotiating of agreements with Venezuela for the issuing of special permits to a specified number of this country’s fishermen to operate in Venezuelan waters is a procedure that Barbados has been reluctant to follow with respect to their fishermen wishing to operate in our waters.

Trinidad and Tobago has to be realistic.  Unless we institute and enforce sensible measures then future generations will have to import fish from the United States, as was the case recently. The commercial shortages of fish during the last two or three years has seen an increase in the offering of catfish, for example, by some supermarkets and other outlets.  Some of them, admittedly a relative few, have marketed it as “white” fish confusing it in the minds of customers with that of other white fish. The time, clearly, to consider, seriously, the question of protecting Trinidad and Tobago’s fish stock is now or we may face the problems faced by Canada with respect to cod and Barbados with respect to flying fish.