The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has approved a closed season for conch.
“What is very interesting is that prior to Beryl, the Cabinet had approved, for the first time, a closed season for conch,” Minister of Fisheries, Saboto Caesar has told Parliament.
He said that the ministry met with technicians who were going to conduct dives this week.
“But if you do a qualitative assessment, from a layman standpoint, if you were proposing a closed season before the marine ecosystem and the habitat was negatively impacted, it just goes to reason that it’s still justified to have the closed season,” Caesar said.
“… but I have to be technically advised on that if it’s going to be extended — if it’s going to — it’s very rare that there will be any justification to shrink the closed season or not to have the closed season.”
Caesar was speaking in Parliament on Thursday in response to a question from Opposition Senator, Israel Bruce.
Bruce noted that the ministry had estimated some 2,000,000 pounds of fish and marine landings for 2024.
He noted the extent to which the livelihoods of several people in the fisheries sector have been affected by Hurricane Beryl.
Bruce asked Caesar whether or not that estimation was amended and if so, what is the new estimated figure.
He also asked the minister to say, based on any new estimated total catch, the estimated difference in revenue to the economy and how many fisherfolks were directly affected due to the passage of hurricane Beryl in the Grenadines and St. Vincent.
Caesar said it was a bit too early to calculate the extent to which production would be reduced as a result of the hurricane.
He said the ministry was anticipating a “90% hit”.
“… and it’s not only because of the damage to the boats and to the engines, but you have so many fishermen and women who don’t have their homes and have to migrate and are in shelters,” the minister said.
He told Parliament that the Blue Marine Foundation did a marine ecosystem study last year.
“Because of that, … our technicians can now go into the water and repeat the survey and compare the information to see, for example, the presence of conch in different geographic spaces.”
The minister said that while the question did not mention sea moss, the storm affected a sea moss farmer in Mayreau, three in Canouan and four in Bequia.
As regards gears and equipment, there were 12 cases in Clifton and 11 in Ashton, Union Island, one in Mayreau, six in Canouan, eight in Bequia and eight in St. Vincent
He said 35 engines were lost in Clifton, 24 in Ashton, 33 in Mayreau, eight in Canouan, 10 in Bequia, and five in St. Vincent
As regards boats, 32 were impacted in Clifton, 22 in Ashton, 37 in Mayreau, 10 in Canouan,18 in Bequia and 14 in St. Vincent.
“I do have the breakdown because some of these boats are not totally lost; some are severely damaged, but we are completing that assessment, because we are not going to give a flat figure based on the fact that you are a fisher, but based on the damage,” Caesar told Parliament.
As regards temporary structures, the hurricane affected one in Clifton, one in Ashton, and six in St. Vincent, he said.
Never hear so much useless bullshit spoken by government. Punishment wrapped up in empty words.
I advocated for this a long time ago. This should also be extended to the spiny lobster. These measures will boost productivity.