Thursday, February 6, 2025
By ANNELIA NIXON
Tribune Business Reporter
anixon@tribunemedia.net
Authorities yesterday said they hope the arrest of a vessel and its occupants accused of conducting at least “a dozen” illegal charters will deter other violators from abusing Bahamian waters.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources added that the January 27 detention of ‘Highly Migratory’, and the three Americans on board, with the help of WildAid and other Bahamian government agencies had resulted on the Florida trio being arraigned in the Eight Mile Rock magistrate’s court on January 30 for violating Bahamian fisheries law and criminal offenses under the Firearms Act.
Gregory Bethel, director of marine resources, said there was evidence showing that the same crew and vessel have conducted similar operations more than a dozen times in this country’s waters while illegally and directly competing with Bahamians
“Three of the defendants are Americans from Florida,” Mr Bethel said. “And as was indicated earlier, it was a covert operation where we had evidence that they have been in and out of The Bahamas in similar types of operations on more than a dozen occasions.
“And so it wasn’t that this was a one-off where you give them the benefit of the doubt that they really didn’t know what the laws were. But for you to do it up to 12 times, that means you were intentionally engaged. And so we would have gathered the information, as was indicated, from Bahamians who were concerned.
“And our job is to, you know, where there’s sufficient evidence, take action. And this was one of those instances where we had more than sufficient evidence to take action. When we look at the Fisheries Act, the penalties are all there. At the end of the day, it’s the decision of the court. Now, the decision can be a fine as well as confiscation of property. But that decision lies with the court,” Mr Bethel added.
“In our case, as the minister indicated, we would want to send a message that we do not favour breaking our laws. If any one of us were to travel to, let’s say, Florida today, and we just want to throw a line overboard, we need a permit to do that. And so the thing is, what gives you the authority as a foreigner to come into The Bahamas and just break our laws?
“It is illegal to operate in our waters, whether it’s on a commercial basis or sport fishing basis, without the relevant permits. Unfortunately, with this particular operation, we had gathered evidence where these persons have been in and out of The Bahamas operating illegally on more than 12 occasions.”
Jomo Campbell, minister of agriculture and marine resources, said the Customs Department, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Department of Marine Resources and WildAid, a marine enforcement organisation, and vigilant Bahamian citizens, were all involved in the detention.
He added: “This operation is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.” Mr Campbell reiterated that non-compliance will lead to legal action and “the protection of our marine resources is non-negotiable”.
“On Monday, 27 January, a foreign fishing charter vessel labelled ‘Highly Migratory’ was seized in waters off of Grand Bahama after being found in violation of several Bahamian laws, including the fisheries regulations and the Firearms Act,” Mr Campbell explained. “The vessel operator and two crew members were arrested and are now facing serious charges before the courts.
“This successful operation was made possible by the vigilance of local citizens who raised concerns about running an unlicensed foreign charter business in Bahamian waters. Thanks to the sharp observations of our people and the swift response of our agencies, we were able to stop that vessel before it left Bahamian waters.
“I want to remind everyone that once foreign charter vessels are welcome, they are required to have an authorised fishing license, undergo safety inspections and to comply with all relevant regulations. These measures are in place to ensure both the safety of the vessel and the protection of our natural resources,” Mr Campbell added.
“Any operator who fails to comply with these regulations is subject to legal action. Let me be clear. The protection of our marine resources is non-negotiable. And we are sending a clear and resolute message that The Bahamas is not a place where people can raid our seas.
“Any foreign entity that seeks to exploit our waters will be held accountable, just as our Bahamian fishermen would be held accountable in any other foreign jurisdiction. To our law abiding local fishermen, we hear you, we stand with you and we will continue to act on your behalf.
“To those who believe that they can operate outside the law, please take this as a warning. We will use every tool at our disposal, from strategic operations to utilising technological advancements, in order to ensure that our marine resources are protected today and for future generations.
Noting that there has been an increase in reports of foreign fishing charters illegally operating in Bahamian waters, Mr Campbell said Operation Red Dawn was launched to protect Bahamian fisheries. Ladina Pelicanos with the Department of Marine Resources in Grand Bahama headed the detention operation.
Comments
Dawes says...
Good work, now get the rest
Posted 7 February 2025, 9:25 a.m. Suggest removal
Log in to comment