David Smith, a local fisherman, says he is excited about the proposed plan by Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries V. Alfred Gray to put in place a closed season for the capture of grouper fish. <\/P><\/p>\n
“With the way the fishermen are going about catching fish and damaging the corals, I think implementing a set season for the grouper will indeed be beneficial,” Mr. Smith said. <\/P><\/p>\n
Mr. Smith, who has a crew of nine men, also agrees that the proposed season will allow the grouper and other fish enough time to develop. <\/P><\/p>\n
However, another fisherman, Levi Rolle, disagrees. <\/P><\/p>\n
Mr. Rolle said some fishermen can not wait around for a season for grouper as they depend heavily on the fish to earn a living. <\/P><\/p>\n
“Yes we can propose such a legislation but fishing is all some men know about,” he said. “Some of them are not interested in sponging or stone crabbing.” <\/P><\/p>\n
The Agriculture and Fisheries Minister recently announced that his Ministry will consider putting legislation in place for a closed season for the capture of the grouper throughout the Bahamas. <\/P><\/p>\n
Mr. Gray stressed the importance of grouper and how they must be protected. <\/P><\/p>\n
“It is important that we protect the grouper from harvest all year round. The Bahamas is the last country in the Caribbean where there is still an abundance of grouper. <\/P><\/p>\n
“It is my obligation, as Minister, to ensure that we do not deplete the resource.” <\/P><\/p>\n
Although there has been no specific date set for the proposed closure of the grouper season, Department of Fisheries officials say it will likely take place during the grouper-mating season, during the colder months. <\/P><\/p>\n
The closure is said to have already begun on several islands in the Bahamas including, Andros and Long Island. <\/P><\/p>\n
Minister Gray said that he will make a national announcement when the time comes to ensure that all fishermen will know they cannot fish for grouper, conch or crawfish between certain dates of the year. <\/P><\/p>\n
“We will give them sufficient notice, and hopefully, when the grouper season is closed they would go into stone crab or sponging that can make a living for them,” he added. <\/P><\/p>\n
By Yvette Rolle-Major, The Bahama Journal<\/B><\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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