MAY 08

Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry, Fisheries, Public Utilities and Energy, Gregory Bowen has initiated a series of meetings with fishermen in order to improve services to and enhance safety measures for the fishing community.

The first in the series of meetings was held in the Parishes of St. Patrick's and St. Andrew's on April 30 at Sauteurs and Grenville respectively.

Minister Bowen explained Government's plans for the development of the fishing industry and solicited suggestions from the fishermen on the way forward. "The discussions were lively and extremely fruitful," said Minister Bowen, who was accompanied by Technologist Roland Baldeo, Chief Fisheries Extension Officer, Johnson St. Louis and Fisheries Officer responsible for St. Patrick's and St. Andrew's, Francis Calliste.

It was agreed that the main requirements for the St. Patrick's fishermen are to increase the quantity of fish caught in the area and finalise and adopt a substantial method for catching lobster. The emphasis in St. Andrew's is to implement a system that will ensure that all species of fish caught are purchased by the vendors, particularly in times of glut.

Minister Bowen complimented the fishermen for proposing the use of designated fishing boats to carry out rescue missions at sea and pledged Government's support in the prompt refund of fuel costs incurred in these searches.

The fishermen also requested a VHF (Very High Frequency) 24-hour monitoring station to provide weather forecasts and enhance safety, which the Minister agreed to examine. Requests were made to upgrade and revise the list of items on which concessions are given, ensure the importers of fishing equipment, including gears and engines, pass on the concessions to fishermen, and to reduce the bureaucracy pertaining to the purchasing process.

Minister Bowen gave the assurance that he would discuss the concerns of fishermen regarding fuel rebates and a one stop system for purchasing duty free items with the Ministry of Finance.

Members of the St. Andrew's Fishermen Association and the Soubise Fishermen Cooperative, as well as vendors, requested access to the cold rooms in the existing facilities in Grenville, as well as the new fish market scheduled to be opened later this month, under the $30 million Project for the Improvement of Fish Marketing in Grenville funded by the Governments of Japan and Grenada.

During the next few weeks, Minister Bowen will hold similar consultations with fishermen in the Parishes of Carriacou and Petit Martinique, St. George's, St. John's, St. Mark's and St. Davids. Minister Bowen has also announced that the consultations with fishermen will be institutionalised.