By John Farmer.

I was sitting at a friends house last evening before dinner, discussing the state of wildlife (or lack thereof) in the country today. Both being avid weekend fishermen, we got into a discussion about overfishing, my having just read a book called ‘The end of the Line’ about overfishing globally. We both agreed that both conch and crawfish are in danger of collapse if existing stocks are not protected, and applauded the government for shortening the crawfish season by a month at either end. (The poor conch, being the progenitor of many a strong back, will have to fend for itself. I guess we will not learn until the stock collapses and there is none at all.) We also applauded Minister Miller’s increased the restrictions on catches by our visting yachtsmen.

But the primary problem, we both agreed, is the lack of enforcement on existing regulations. And it is the visitors and poachers we think are the worse offenders, particularly our visitors from South Florida who should know better. We also both agreed that leaving enforcement to the government is a waste of time. So we came up with the following idea, and I said I would blog it.

Create an entity called the Fish and Wildlife Patrol, with the powers to stop, search, arrest and confiscate. Place it under the auspices and management of the Bahamas National Trust, and have the government subsidise a suitable operating budget. Then let them go out and enforce the fishing and wildlife regulations already on our books, with the right to keep any property seized and the proceeds of any sale thereof. And then watch a serious clampdown take place; all it needs is for a few offenders to have their boats confiscated, and then everyone will get the message load and clear. As for the poachers, I say throw them all in gaol for a minimum of 5 years (crew) and 10 (captain) in Fox ‘Hell’ Prison – that will run them up on brakes.

My friend says he will be the first one to quit his job and join the patrol, and I am sure he will be joined by any number of dedicated volunteers who see the rape of our natural resources and weep.

Perhaps, then, there will be a day in our future when our children’s children will also be able to enjoy a casual catch of conch, crawfish & grouper.

As for the book – ‘The End of the Line – How overfishing is changing the world and what we eat.’ by Charles Clover – should be required reading for all secretaries at the Department Of Fisheries (and all Ministers prior to assuming office).