Poaching hurting local fishing industry – official

Illegal fishing remains a problem to the local fishing industry.

Jennifer Cruickshank-Howard, Chief Fisheries Officer (Ag), said on May 20, at the Fisherman’s Day celebrations, that added to the problem of the lack of resources to properly harness the local fishing industry, illegal fishing both at the domestic level and on the high seas is a problem.{{more}}

Cruickshank-Howard also said the industry is constrained by “the use of technical trade barriers to hinder locally produced fish and fish products from entering international markets …”.

And contrary to the belief by some, St Vincent and the Grenadines does not have any agreement with any other state to fish in local waters, she said.

“If fishing vessels belonging to anybody of foreign states are found fishing in our waters, then they are doing so illegally,” Cruickshank-Howard said.(DD)