Fishermen protest wetlands destruction for port project

Radhica Sookraj
Published: 25 Feb 2010

Claxton Bay fishermen met with officials of the National Energy Corporation (NEC) yesterday and rejected a proposal for the destruction of four hectares of mangroves to facilitate the Point Lisas port extension. The meeting was attended by NEC officials, John Jones, manager of engineering, design and construction, Dr Reeza Mohammed, environemental projects co-ordinator, and Wendy Seow, head of administration, and a delegation of eight fishermen. They met at NEC’s office at Savonetta, Couva, where activists had previously held several protests over the past few months.

Kishore Boodram, president of the Claxton Bay Fishing Association, said NEC promised to dredge a channel for the fishermen, upgrade the port and install a fish processing plant at the jetty if the port extension was completed. Saying Government seemed hell bent on the project, although it would cause devastation to the hatcheries located in the Gulf of Paria, Boodram vowed to do everything possible to protect the mangroves and hatcheries. “We already have extensive pollution of the air and water because of the Point Lisas estate. “We have heavy traffic with the tugs and barges that go to the TCL factory. What more they want to do to us?” Boodram said. Fishermen’s livelihood at risk Vice-president Bhadase Sooknanan said NEC also proposed to construct an artificial reef at the site and to develop fish pot fishing in the region. Sooknanan said if Government was allowed to proceed with the project, the livelihood of more than 100 fishermen will be destroyed. Sooknanan said they were given a 97-page proposal to examine and were expected to meet with NEC again on March 12. Contacted for comment yesterday, Seow said the purpose of the meeting was to present a document to the fishermen outlining the strategies to mitgate the impacts of the port on fisheries. She said the port extension was being built to facilitate the new industrial estate. Seow confirmed that fishermen were given a document to look at and a consultation, to which the Environmental Management Authority will be invited, will be held later on. Source: http://guardian.co.tt/business/business/2010/02/25/fishermen-protest-wetlands-destruction-port-project