2 months ago
12
Shastri Boodan
The All Tobago Fisherfolk Association (ATFA) is urging the authorities to address the growing presence of Venezuelans operating in Tobago’s territorial waters.
ATFA President Curtis Douglas told Guardian Media from his Scarborough office on Wednesday morning that it remains unclear what activities the Venezuelans are engaged in aboard the fishing vessels they operate. He said Tobagonians are already burdened by the incursions of Bajan fishermen, who enter Tobago’s waters to harvest flying fish.
Douglas said ATFA has written to the Prime Minister regarding these concerns. “It’s not only Bajans, but also Venezuelans fishing in our waters—posing a threat to our safety as Tobagonians in our own waters, in our own house—by some of these illegal operators or pirates who are arriving on our shores in Tobago. The Bajans are encroaching, and the Venezuelans behave as though there are no laws, no enforcement, and no Coast Guard presence in our waters,” he said.
He said Tobago’s fishing industry has the potential to generate billions of dollars, but many people are too afraid to speak out because of threats to their safety. He identified areas off Castara and Belle Garden as hotspots of Venezuelan activity.
Douglas called for immediate action from the national security authorities. “We are calling on all law enforcement agencies to act,” he said. He explained that fishermen are fearful of approaching the Venezuelans, who may be armed. “What do you expect us to do? Throw big stones at them? No, we can’t get that close… they are cutting away our lines, traps, FADs. What can we do?”
Douglas also said ATFA has written to the Prime Minister seeking assistance in recovering $3.5 million owed to the organisation by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) for support provided during the 2024 oil spill at Petit Trou. He accused the THA of avoiding the association, despite settling payments with other organisations, and said he intends to escalate the matter to the Minister of Energy.
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