Jamaica /// "Fish are sensitive creatures."
C2C Interview /// Treasure Beach, Jamaica
What are the current problems that you are experiencing as a fishermen here in Jamaica?
The problem that we have on the coastline right now is the diving. The compression diving. The fish are not able to survive because of the compressor… the scuba diving has less of an affect. The coastline is hurt by the hurricanes and you find that the breeding ground of the fish is covered by sand moved by these storms. So it might take a couple years for it to come back to normal.
For now… the fish is really bad. As you can see… the fishing is down right now. Times are troubling. I need to go 80 miles south to find something. It is like you spend more than what you earn.
Is this because of the compression diving?
Yes the diving has a 90% affect to it. Our government a couple of years made us change the mesh that we use to a more corse mesh. I am one who then must use this… so I save the younger fish and let them grow bigger. But the man with the compressor comes in and kills all the fish at once… even the younger fish. He takes anything he wants… from the half-pound to the one pound… it puts him at an advantage. I save it and then someone takes it. If we don’t come together and find some agreement then… I don’t know what is going to happen.
The fish are not use to so much harassment by humans. They are sensitive creatures. Sensitive things. Those that live there and those that live there don’t mix. Some want to beat the others up. So fish are migrating so not to mix. They go deeper… deeper out. We are struggling… struggling to survive.
And before the compression diving, it was easy to fish?
Oh man… fish was booming. Fish was so much. Everyone was making a good profit. But since of late now, even a man who tries very hard, he can’t get anything.
And what about the future?
We need people who can help us speak about these issues… I can’t get to the authorities. No one listens. I am speaking to you as a fishermen… I’ve been fishing for 32 years. I want to speak to the person in charge. We want fish to have a safe place to grow so they feel safe and we can all have fish. Right now there is a culture problem in Jamaica… everyone is fighting. If the fishermen want our voices to be heard, we all need to come together. You must understand the root of the problems.
