Authorities stepping up enforcement measures across the country as efforts continue to crack down on illegal and unreported fishing in Bahamian waters.
Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, Michael Pintard says while authorities are focused on stamping out poaching in the southern Bahamas, they are equally diligent in policing the northern Bahamas.
“There are meetings that are ongoing between all of the law enforcement agencies around the issue of enforcement of the marine protected areas of our territorial waters in general because truly the Bahamas is rather than being a small island state, it is a big ocean state-country.
“We are working on enforcement issue, and in the new budget cycle we will be petitioning government to make additional resources available to law enforcement regime” Pintard said.
Minister Pintard says efforts are also underway to finalize the number of marine protected areas in the Bahamas.
