The construction of a number of fish aggregating devices is among initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry of Fisheries to assist the sector.
Fisheries Minister Kenneth Darroux made the disclosure at the official opening of the Portsmouth Fisheries Complex last week.
Darroux said several laws will be enacted for the management of these new devices.
“Through a regional organization we have put a number of proposals on the table to find ways to engage our neighbors to engage our neighbors in cooperation towards the elimination of illegal fishing in our waters,” he said.
According to Wikipedia, a fish aggregating (or aggregation) device (FAD) is a man-made object used to attract ocean going pelagic fish such as marlin, tuna and mahi-mahi (dolphin fish). They usually consist of buoys or floats tethered to the ocean floor with concrete blocks. Over 300 species of fish gather around FADs. FAD’s attract fish for numerous reasons that vary by species.
Fish tend to move around FADs in varying orbits, rather than remaining stationary below the buoys. Both recreational and commercial fisheries use FADs.
This is nothing new. Fisheries Division has produced fishing devices for the last 20 years. Stop play with the life of fishermen, implement the commercial fishing programme which has been develop by the Fisheries Division.