Eyes are everywhere.
That’s what people who continue to violate the Marine Conservation Law should be aware of.
There has been an increase in the number of violations to the law.
There has also been an increase in the number of private citizens who are calling enforcement officers when they see the offenders acting illegally.
Their involvement is proof positive that law enforcement – whether on water or on land – works better when members of the community get involved.
Many of the people who are violating the Marine Conservation Law don’t have a licence to take marine life.
Unfortunately many of the people being charged with violating the law are properly licensed. Licensed fishermen have violated the law by taking more than 100 conchs and owning illegal spear guns and nets.
Enforcement officials say the reasons they are given by offenders vary.
Some of the poachers are using their illegal catches to fund drug habits and alcohol addictions.
The people who are buying marine life such as lobsters, grouper and conch from the poachers are just as guilty because they are supporting this illegal trade.
Many of the licensed fishermen breaking the law argue that it is their God-given right to take as much as they want from the sea.
All arguments for breaking the law fall on deaf ears. There is no excuse for poaching and taking illegal catches of any marine life.
In one instance an offender pleaded guilty to seven marine offences: taking lobster out of season, from a replenishment zone, above the prescribed daily limit, below the prescribed size limit, possession of a spear gun without a licence, taking marine life with an illegal spear gun and using a spear gun in replenishment zone.
Now that’s just wrong.
The Marine Conservation Law is in place to do exactly what it says – to conserve marine life.
It’s not there to punish honest fishermen.
It’s there to ensure that future generations of Caymanians are able to continue the traditions practiced by our forefathers.
In the past fishermen took only what was needed to sustain their families both through feeding their broods and selling their catch to buy the necessities of life, which didn’t include the need to feed habits.
We commend the watchful citizens for turning in the people who are destroying our future by breaking the Marine Conservation Law. Keep up the good work.
The rest of us could take a lesson from them and begin using our eyes and ears to help the members of our police force on land.
Together we can put a stop to crime on land and at sea.
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