Jamaican Fisheries Ministry discusses fishing in Belize

richard russell

In December of last year a fleet of Jamaican fishing boats was spotted off the coast of Punta Gorda Town.  The vessels, belonging to the PG Fishing Company which has a joint venture with the Rio Grande Cooperative of Punta Gorda, were in Belizean waters to conduct fishing operations.  Both the Departments of Fisheries and Environment contended that the companies did not have the required license to fish in our maritime waters.  Today News Five spoke with Richard Russell of the Fisheries Ministry in Jamaica who is in the country to discuss sustainable fisheries.

Richard Russell, CEO Fisheries Division, Jamaica

“If Jamaican fishermen are fishing in Belize, they have to be fishing here under permit granted by the Belize government or by the fisheries authorities here. If they are here fishing illegally, they are fishing illegally and if they are so doing, the Belize authorities ought to take them into custody as far as I am concerned, if they are fishing illegally; plain and straight. Likewise, if any other fisher folk come into Jamaica fishing illegally, we’re going to take them into custody.  But there are mutual arrangements, which is why we have the CRFM whereby the countries talk to each other; you know we can allow this and we can allow that and we have mutual arrangements. There is nothing wrong with that whatsoever.”

Residents of Punta Gorda Town protested the fishing of Belizean territorial waters by Jamaican trawlers.  The operation was subsequently suspended.