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SANTO DOMINGO.- At least one official in charge of monitoring commercial fishing in Samaná Bay is allegedly allowing the illegal practice of “Licuadora,” a kind of seine fishing, to continue on the Bay in exchange for bribes from a fishing operation based in the town of Sanchez, according to an email received by Dominican Today.
The email, sent by a DT reader, alleges a business called “Henry Camacho,” which operates 14 boats on the bay, is illegally dragging the seafloor “for 20 hours every day” despite complaints from other Sanchez fishermen.
The email said “the illegal fishermen are arm (sic) to the teeth … to make sure that no one will stop them from destroying the [marine life] in the Bay of Samaná.”
An official in charge of monitoring the fishing of the bay has allegedly accepted bribes from the fishermen in exchange for permission to continue, the email said.
A PowerPoint presentation attached to the email contained photos of unidentified fishermen preparing weighted nets with wooden boards attached, which are dragged along the seafloor, gathering young fish, eggs, and pregnant females as well as coral and debris into the nets along with the mature catch. Other photographs show baby shrimp purchased from the fishermen along with mature shrimp.
Purse seine fishing, which is similar to the practice depicted in the photos, has been banned in many fisheries worldwide because of the damage it causes to marine life, including the destruction of coral reefs and the depletion of fish stocks to near-endangerment levels. “It is clear that, if this does not stop, it will force all life in [Samaná Bay] to come to an end,” the email said.
Officials in the environment ministry (SEMARENA), who asked not to be named, said they are aware of the violations. “We know that those fishermen exist and are fishing without a permit.”
They added that law prohibits this kind of seine fishing in the Dominican Republic.
SEMARENA inspectors will be sent to Samaná, Sabana del la Mar and Sanchez to investigate the allegations, the officials said.
The email, sent by a DT reader, alleges a business called “Henry Camacho,” which operates 14 boats on the bay, is illegally dragging the seafloor “for 20 hours every day” despite complaints from other Sanchez fishermen.
The email said “the illegal fishermen are arm (sic) to the teeth … to make sure that no one will stop them from destroying the [marine life] in the Bay of Samaná.”
An official in charge of monitoring the fishing of the bay has allegedly accepted bribes from the fishermen in exchange for permission to continue, the email said.
A PowerPoint presentation attached to the email contained photos of unidentified fishermen preparing weighted nets with wooden boards attached, which are dragged along the seafloor, gathering young fish, eggs, and pregnant females as well as coral and debris into the nets along with the mature catch. Other photographs show baby shrimp purchased from the fishermen along with mature shrimp.
Purse seine fishing, which is similar to the practice depicted in the photos, has been banned in many fisheries worldwide because of the damage it causes to marine life, including the destruction of coral reefs and the depletion of fish stocks to near-endangerment levels. “It is clear that, if this does not stop, it will force all life in [Samaná Bay] to come to an end,” the email said.
Officials in the environment ministry (SEMARENA), who asked not to be named, said they are aware of the violations. “We know that those fishermen exist and are fishing without a permit.”
They added that law prohibits this kind of seine fishing in the Dominican Republic.
SEMARENA inspectors will be sent to Samaná, Sabana del la Mar and Sanchez to investigate the allegations, the officials said.
Written by: Alexandra Pope, with files from Jorge Pineda
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Thank you to the reader who brought this to the attention of DOMINICAN TODAY, and thank you DT and Ms. Pope for have the courage to publish this and expose it to the world.
You guys are two menches!
If anyone has the email address of Greenpeace or their phone number, send it to me and I'll do the"dirty work".
This sort of greed absolutely MUST STOP and quickly.
TB
Thanks
When you find that address, copy it to "npereyra". Maybe he will send copies of his article to Greenpeace along with the pictures. Greenpeace has opened the eyes of many a nation regarding their environmental malfunctions.
TB
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/getinvolved
Thanks,
Nelson