Barbados And St. Vincent Sign Maritime Agreement

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados CMC – Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have signed a maritime agreement, here, pledging to prosecute persons engaged in illegal fishing in their respective territorial waters.

“We need to find a solution to this problem. Of course, Prime Minister Gonsalves made the point that our fishermen have had no problems with St. Vincent and the Grenadines and his businessmen (trading in) illegal agricultural products have not had major problems with Barbados until they get here,” Prime Minister, Freundel Stuart, said.

St. Vincent Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, said, that while the agreement established the limits of each other’s maritime boundaries, both Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries did not care where their exclusive economic zones began or ended, but just wanted to “catch people at sea”.

Gonsalves said, that while first-time offenders might have part of their catch confiscated, if the breaches continued, the fisherman’s tackle and the entire catch would be seized.

But he gave the assurance that his security officials would not confiscate any Caribbean fisherman’s boat, since this would hurt the person’s livelihood.

“But if it is a vessel which comes from somewhere else, outside of the CARICOM region, that is a different story. We apply different kinds of considerations,” he added.

Both prime ministers agreed that there were other “practical options” which could be adopted before arresting and charging their neighbour’s fishermen, caught fishing illegally in the territorial waters of the two states.

Gonsalves said, that once the matter is referred to the Office of the attorney general, then there is little that could be done.

“Because if you inform the Chief Fisheries Officer and the Office of the Attorney General, then it is possible for considerations other than the strict law. Once it gets into the hands of the Director of Public Prosecutions . . .  the matter is out of your hands.”