After six years, the long-awaited and much-debated Fisheries Act for Antigua and Barbuda has been signed and the Fisheries Regulations finalised by the minister of agriculture.
The signing of the Act that was first drafted in 2006 was announced in a communiqué from the office of Minister Hilson Baptiste on Monday evening.
Although President of the Fisherman’s Co-operative, Len Mussington, said he has not seen the final Act as it has yet to be gazetted he, and the over 250 co-operative members, are definitely looking forward to implementing the regulations that he admitted had a lot of grey spaces.
It opens the industry, the whole idea of having it regulated. All parties would be in a better position to monitor and operate under a sustainable manner.
He added, I think it is welcomed by the majority of persons involved in the fishing industry.
The co-operative president said what he is most looking forward to is the operationalisation of the Fisheries Advisory Committee a collective of fisherfolk, government officials and other relevant stakeholders that would advise the minister on fisheries management and development.
In April, the Antigua Conservation Association launched a petition calling for reinvigorated attempts to move forward the stalled Act and regulations. Two thousand residents signed their names to the document which seemingly jumpstarted the efforts.
Member of the group, Eli Fuller, said the signing of the Act is just the first step government must take.
We needed new regulations. This is only step one in protecting our marine environment and helping fishermen have a more sustainable harvest. I think it is a good and positive step forward, the environmentalist said.
Consultations began in April and the group’s findings were handed over to Baptiste for consideration in July. The Act and regulations then passed review in the Ministry of Legal Affairs in December.
Meanwhile, a five-member fisherfolk delegation met for the second time with Minister Baptiste and Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer at the Cabinet yesterday.
Although Mussington was mum about the details of the conversations that included Chief Fisheries Officer, Cheryl Appleton, he said the meeting went very well and there would be further dialogue on spearfishing and other concerns.
Minister Hilson Baptiste could not be reached for comment on either matter.
2013 Observer Publications Limited