By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A senior fisheries official yesterday revealed that “sting operations” over the past three weeks have netted more than 1,500 pounds of Nassau grouper caught illegally out-of-season.

Gregory Bethel, acting director of marine resources, disclosed at the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources’ first leadership conclave that his department has collaborated with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force to conduct two covert investigations into mail boats entering Potter’s Cay dock. This, he added, uncovered the 1,500 pounds of illegally harvested grouper.

He said: “The Nassau grouper closed season is from December 1 until February 28 of the following year. Let me say most recently, over the course of the last three weeks, we did two sting operations [which were] joint efforts between my department and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

“[We] investigated mail boats coming in at Potter’s Cay and, to-date, we have uncovered in excess of 1,500 pounds of Nassau grouper that has been fished during the close season. So we want to take this opportunity again to remind the public that we are still engaged in the Nassau grouper closed season.”

Mr Bethel said individuals found in possession of, or selling, freshly caught grouper are committing an offense and can receive fines and/or jail time. He added that the operation at Potter’s Cay was a “search and seize” so the items were confiscated and only two individuals faced penalties.

“It is an offence to fish Nassau grouper. It’s also an offence to have it for sale. The penalty is $3,000 or a year in prison or both. A word to the wise is sufficient, so we want to encourage Bahamians to follow the law,” Mr Bethel said. “No penalties except for two were imposed. The ones coming from the sting operation of the mail boats, it was just a case of search and seize. We just seized the product.”

Mr Bethel said there have also been poaching incidents on the Family Islands, including two men who were in a traffic accident with and caught with 400 pounds of grouper. The individuals were fined $1,500 and given 50 hours of community service.

“We had an incident in Long Island where two young men, they were found in possession of in excess of 400 pounds of Nassau grouper, and that only came by way of traffic accident,” Mr Bethel added. “When the police came on the scene they found them in possession of all of this grouper. They have since been prosecuted. They were fined $1,500. I think it was 50 hours of community work.

“We just concluded another case in Central Andros where we had locals engaged in the capture of the Nassau grouper. That case is still before the Magistrate’s Court.”

Mr Bethel maintained that harsher penalties for catching fish out-of-season are provided for in the Fisheries Act, but it is up to the discretion of the courts to enforce penalties. He added: “Harsher penalties are on the books. That is a decision for the courts. How they litigate and so forth is the decision of the court.

“But harsher penalties are there. If you were to have a look at the new Fisheries Act, at the back of the Act and throughout the Act you will see that there has been a marked increase in penalties but, at the end of the day, it’s a decision of the courts.”