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Bad weather blamed for poor Fishermen's Day participation

- No official weighing of fish this year; Robin Smith brings in a 429lb catch
Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering underscored his disappointment in the turnout of fishermen at this year's annual Fishermen's Day on June 29, 2015 but blamed bad weather. Noting that every year this time it's likely that the weather is going to be rough, Hon Pickering said, ‎"so you'll (Conservation and Fisheries Dept) have to either put in a request for better weather or you'll have to change the day." Photo: VINO
Robin Smith (right) and his team-mate caught a total of 429lbs of hard nose fish yesterday June 29, 2015. Photo: VINO
Robin Smith (right) and his team-mate caught a total of 429lbs of hard nose fish yesterday June 29, 2015. Photo: VINO
The event held at the Long Bay Beach, Beef Island, was one highly anticipated and attended by residents who turned out in massive numbers as they fully participated in the cooking and eating of some of the best fishes caught in Virgin Islands waters. Photo: VINO
The event held at the Long Bay Beach, Beef Island, was one highly anticipated and attended by residents who turned out in massive numbers as they fully participated in the cooking and eating of some of the best fishes caught in Virgin Islands waters. Photo: VINO
Some fresh fish well seasoned and ready for the frying pan and the grill. Photo: VINO
Some fresh fish well seasoned and ready for the frying pan and the grill. Photo: VINO
The line of people awaiting these grilled fish was three times more than the grill could have accommodated but they waited! Photo: VINO
The line of people awaiting these grilled fish was three times more than the grill could have accommodated but they waited! Photo: VINO
‎BEEF ISLAND, VI - Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering underscored his disappointment in the turnout of fishermen at this year's annual Fishermen's Day on June 29, 2015 but blamed bad weather.

"The water was rough [that] even the toughest of fishermen decided that they weren't going out today, but to those who went out we are still happy and want to congratulate them on their bravery," said Hon Pickering.

Noting that every year this time it's likely that the weather is going to be rough, Hon Pickering said, ‎"so you'll (Conservation and Fisheries Dept) have to either put in a request for better weather or you'll have to change the day."

The event held at the Long Bay Beach, Beef Island, was one highly anticipated and attended by residents who turned out in massive numbers as they fully participated in the cooking and eating of some of the best fishes caught in Virgin Islands waters.

But the disappointment came as a number of persons looked forward to the weighing of catches, something that did not happen because of the lack of participation of fishermen this year.

Robin Smith gets a big catch

It was not very clear if the two who were awarded trophies were the only two in the competition this year but Mr Smith Robin received a trophy for his catch of 429lbs hard nose fish caught and the other trophy was for Mr David Smith aka tiger, who caught 35lbs from off reef fishing.

Mr Smith is known to dominate fishing tournaments in the VI and was only dethroned last year after winning the tournament some six times.

The event has been an annual feature of the Conservation and Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour.

Get more involved in fishing!

Hon Pickering took a few seconds of the social evening to challenge all fishermen to get more involved in the fishing industry because the industry, he said, is proving to be very lucrative. "And the Government is doing all it can to ensure that we put a system in place to encourage all who want to be involved in this industry."

He added, "The fish are out there, you just need to go and bring them in and we would do our best to make it happen."

19 Responses to “Bad weather blamed for poor Fishermen's Day participation”

  • ......... (30/06/2015, 08:20) Like (5) Dislike (25) Reply
    Oh no we start back our boygot of ndp functions
    • @....... (30/06/2015, 10:00) Like (8) Dislike (9) Reply
      I guess their people from the motorcade didn't show up. ,"No money to pay them to come to this event".
  • Reef (30/06/2015, 08:56) Like (7) Dislike (13) Reply
    This is no political talk. I caught a shark but I had to let it go fast!!!!. Really it happened!!!. Would that have counted?
  • Really? (30/06/2015, 09:15) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    There will be much more rough waters to come...Let them change the Fishery Protection Act and see if there will be any more Fishermen's Day 'Period'...they are the bad weather that will cause lower to no Fishermen's Day participation.
  • LNB (30/06/2015, 09:29) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    Did people have to pay to get to the beach?
  • vincy (30/06/2015, 09:39) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Me nah go because me nah geh grilled shark.
  • bvi (30/06/2015, 09:54) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    The fishermen boycott this event. The Fisheries Dept owe them money so they stop supplying them with fish. Yet Govt is paying a full staff at the Fisheries to clean and sell fish, but there are no fish to clean nor sell; but staff reporting to work everyday including Saturdays just to sit down and collect a check
  • Fisherman (30/06/2015, 10:02) Like (11) Dislike (3) Reply
    I had a conversation already with Dr. Pickering. He is asking us to catch more fish but he is not making it possible for us to get bigger boats. Without bigger boats it will be very hard to go through that kind of weather that was passing this weekend. The sea was very rough. My boat just couldn't handle that kinda of weather.

    Sending us to the Small Business Bureau is not an adequate solution. The process is too complicated. We need a simpler process. We need access to Grants and low interest loans so that we can afford bigger boats. We also need access to training so that we can learn new fishing techniques, especially for the type of fish that he is encouraging us to go after. Come on Dr. Pickering, put your money where your mouth is. You said you are more interested in Fishing than Farming, but honestly, you have not done very much for fishing either....
    • @Fisherman (30/06/2015, 10:42) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
      This so called Small Business Bureau is a joke and had been for years...They should have held on to some of that election money they received for these matters but all they cared about was winning. I am sure a handful of those white and brown envelopes could have paid for your boat. That is true mismanagement! (Many voters bought them so the nation will have to live with that non-refundable purchase.)
  • trrefdrfds (30/06/2015, 10:43) Like (6) Dislike (13) Reply
    We start our boycott...election is over and we can see their true colors, so how come they did not bus in the renter crowd like they did during the thief election? We going show we not please with the ndp and we give them no mandate
  • Kingfish (30/06/2015, 11:29) Like (13) Dislike (3) Reply
    @ Fisherman:

    You have some good points, however do not expect and or want government to do everything. The SBB is there to help, if you prefer not to deal with them that is another issue. Here is my advise, start a corporation and sell shares to raise the funds needed to purchase a larger boat and equipment. There are many people in the BVI who may be interested in purchasing shares in such a venture.
    • Yep (30/06/2015, 12:28) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
      That's the problem, people in the BVI need to wake up. They want we the people, through Government to help financing their projects which is fine. But what is NOT fine is that when things are great with them and they are making money they are good. When they are not doing so good they expect to just cut their loss and walk away, leaving we the people (Government) holding the bag. It's a bad mentality and they need to stop. If you want help, go about it the right way. You will not appreciate anything if you don't play your part in sacrificing something.
      • @ yep (30/06/2015, 13:17) Like (4) Dislike (10) Reply
        Let me get this straight…The government gives the people envelopes filled with tax dollars, and tax paid government contracts during the election so that they can win…and when the people come around to yet financial assistance to fix their boats etc. the government feels that the people have a bad mentality and that the public need to go about getting financial support from the government the right way. “Maybe the government needs to try getting elected in the right way? (or MAYBE the people learned from the best). So then, the government will not appreciate the country because they sacrificed your tax dollars to get elected??
  • just asking. (30/06/2015, 14:30) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    Was it bad wheather or bad planning? Some will think bad government
  • ---------------------------- (01/07/2015, 21:39) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I began boycotting them after they thief the elections


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