Fisheries Act Consultations Head to Barbuda

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Environment Articles

Thursday, 05 July 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St. John’s - After two days of consultations with stakeholders in Antigua regarding the controversial iced Fisheries Act of 2006, government has announced several proposed changes that could see further delays in implementing the rules and regulations that some say are essential to the immediate survival of the industry.

Chief Fisheries Officer Cheryl Appleton said the meeting of Monday that attracted over 50 stakeholders, was unexpectedly rolled over into two days of intense discussions that resulted in the update of certain sections of the document and the request for changes in others.
 
She said it is too early to say what aspects of the Act would be changed since further consultations will take place as early as Thursday (today) with stakeholders on Barbuda.

“They (stakeholders in Barbuda) didn’t get to come over for the meeting so we have to take the discussions there. I don't want to say what changes were recommended until we complete the talks in Barbuda,” Appleton said.

A report of the Barbuda consultations will not be had until Monday at the earliest, Appleton explained, since officials conducting the meeting from the Fisheries Division will also use the opportunity to address other matters on the sister isle.

“They have agreed to changes to be done…since this has been put down for so long, a lot of things have changed so we went through the document and got a chance to update a lot of things. But we cannot confirm anything until we talk to Barbuda,” she said.

The Chief Fisheries Officer could not say whether the extended talks and proposed amendments would ultimately result in further delays before fisheries minister Hilston Baptiste is able to affix his signature to the document.

“I am not sure that he wouldn’t sign,” Appleton said.

Conservationist Eli Fuller had said that the consultations called for by Minister Baptiste was merely another attempt to delay the implementation of the Act.

Fuller described the move as nothing short of a “talk shop” with political intentions.

He, like many other marine and conservation activists in the country, has all lobbied against the move that documents show to be a replication of events long past.

And to counter the delays, Fuller, through the Antigua Conservation Association, has managed to secure over 2,000 signatures to petition Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer to step in and speedily implement the much needed regulations.

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