Bahamas Chatter: The end of sport fishing
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Bahamas Chatter: The end of sport fishing
The end of sport fishing
Posted: 19 Nov 2016 04:52 AM PST
The following is an article from The Florida Times-Union: Florida wildlife officials expressed concern Wednesday the government of the Bahamas is in talks with China to split fishing rights in waters east of Florida.
State Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Nick Wiley said the potential deal, as reported, could impact Florida’s commercial and sport-fishing industries.
“China, their interests in this, would get exclusive access to fisheries in Bahamian waters,” Wiley said. “A lot of people may not realize this, but the boundary between the United States waters and Bahamian waters is still in dispute. It’s still not been clarified, so that further makes this an issue. The government of the Bahamas hasn’t released details of the negotiations.
The Nassau Guardian newspaper has reported that the government of the Bahamas has given the green light to its embassy in Beijing to pursue agricultural and fishing partnerships with China. The proposal reportedly could bring $2.1 billion in cash, along with agricultural and farming equipment, into the Bahamian economy, over 10 years.
The proposal by the Bahamian government, according to the Guardian, states: “While realization of a reasonable return on an investment in agriculture is a relatively slow process, requiring substantial capitalization over many years, participating companies in the initiative will within months of commencement of operations realize positive cash flow from the sale of seafood.”
Under the reported terms of the deal, the government would lease to 100 companies — each jointly owned by Chinese and Bahamians shareholders — 10,000 acres in Andros Island, along with fishing licenses.
“It is anticipated that the agricultural products and the seafood will be used either for local consumption or will be exported to China or the U.S.A. for sale,” the proposal says. “The management of participating companies will resolve to do what is in their best interest.”
Commercial fishing for conch, lobster, snapper and grouper are mainstays of the Andros Island’s economy. However, the indication is that the Chinese firms want to target dolphin, kingfish, marlin, tuna and wahoo.
Wiley said the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has reached out to the government of the Bahamas for additional details.
“It’s something we really need to figure out what is going on. We really don’t understand it yet,” said Commissioner Robert Spottswood, the president of a Key West real-estate development company. “But the potential impact for us in the Keys, in Florida and for the U.S., of the Chinese government getting involved in fishing in the Bahamas could certainly affect the balance of what is going on in fisheries in South Florida.”
Comments from Cruisers (5)
According to the latest report, directly from our Prime Minister, this conversation/idea is dead.
It was an idea our minister of marine resources put out to the Chinese for feedback.
There was quite an uproar here in the Bahamas.
I don’t expect to hear much about it except from those that will get the information later and believe it is an ongoing process.
Thank you for making the post.
MOST OF US KNOW WHERE OUR FRIENDS ARE : ))
Not knowing the actual numbers it seems unlikely China would be willing to compensate the Bahamian population(this affects ALL Bahamians not just the government) for the loss of American tourist dollars brought in by the fishing industry.
I know the Chinese have long held a large tract of land on the tip of Grand Bahama Island where they have oil storage and tanker terminal facilities but surely this is helping China out a lot more than the average Bahamian.
Tell me this is just another fantasy rumor…
History has shown us what will happen when Governments , who care nothing for conservation, get involved. Does anybody trust the Chinese to adhere to the catch limits placed on Sportfish ? ! !
The US needs to do more to strengthen relations with the Bahamas so they won’t look to the Chinese for support in our backyard. We need to recognize the economic expansionist goals of the Chinese (see South America and Africa) or we will be caught flat footed again.
Pass this article on to Senators Nelson and Rubio
Well, that is pretty disturbing!