Conch season opens today, now the fun begins

THE announcement by Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Pearnel Charles Jr that the conch season will be opened as of today will come as welcome news for the conservatively estimated 5,000 Jamaicans who make a living from the industry.

The conch-fishing season was previously closed for two years to protect and increase the conch population and boost the sustainability of the habitats in which they are grown, according to a ministry press statement Monday.

Mr Charles, however, did not bother to explain on what basis the season has been opened and has left the country to wonder whether the many problems that have plagued the conch industry in recent years have been sufficiently alleviated.

There is money to be made in conch-fishing. Lots of it. As far back as 1992, Jamaica was designated by the Fisheries Division as the world’s leading exporter of queen conch and the market valued at US$60 million annually. Since then exports of the delicacy have risen.

Based on studies by The University of the West Indies and the Fisheries Division, Jamaica’s industrial fishery for queen conch (Strombus gigas) produces a substantial amount of much-needed foreign exchange and, for at least 10 years, had been the most valuable component of all commercial marine fisheries activities.

The industry came under risk of collapse due to problems such as illegal overfishing by licensed fishers who take more than permitted, poor enforcement, foreign poaching — mainly by Honduran and Dominican Republic fishers — and under-reporting of catches. Jamaicans might also recall the bruising legal battle between a major exporter and the Government over claims of unfairness in the granting of licences that led to the industry closing down for two years in the 1990s.

Mr Charles’ announcement says the opening of the season will be done “under strict guidelines which aim to protect the conch fisheries while enabling the continuation of economic activity centred on the harvesting of the seafood”. We can only hope these are not mere words.

We are also hopeful that the special conditions applicable to the 2022 conch-fishing season, which include a total catch of 300 metric tonnes for industrial fishers and 50 metric tonnes for artisanal (small) fishers, will be adhered to and that the prohibited areas for the fishing of queen conch within the Pedro Bank are observed.

We applaud the requirement that all conch-fishing vessels operate real-time vessel monitoring systems accessible to the National Fisheries Authority and the Veterinary Services Division.

But, going by our history, it is most unlikely that there will be full compliance with the requirement that conch fishers be in possession of a valid fishing licence to avoid illegal harvesting of conch.

Minister Charles’ verbal assurance that, “The ministry, its agencies, and partners are committed to ensuring that this positive impact remains intact and as such the applicable conditions will be strictly enforced,” will not be enough.

The main problems of overfishing and serious poaching by foreign industrial vessels which defy high seas enforcement by Jamaican authorities will not disappear because Mr Charles and his Government have given the usual “commitment”.

Except for the views expressed in the column above, the articles published on this page do not necessarily represent the views of the Jamaica Observer.