The Government of Saint Lucia is undertaking various measures to facilitate the work of fishermen in open waters.

Identification cards are currently being issued to fishermen; while the Department of Fisheries hopes to implement a licensing and training program for the use of VHF radios.

Hardin Jn. Pierre, Fisheries Extension Officer for Laborie, Vieux Fort and Savannes Bay, explained the importance of the registration of fishermen.

“Anyone who goes out, whether it be a captain or a crew member, it is a requirement that both the vessel and the fisher have to be licensed and registered,” he said. “When we license a vessel we ensure that the crew is registered as well, and we encourage the fishers to go to sea with their fisher IDs. If they are stranded and end up in another country’s waters, they can hand in their fisher IDs and that country’s authorities can contact us, so that we can facilitate the return process. It makes it much easier.”

Mr. Daniel Medard, Fisheries Extension Officer for Castries and Banannes Bay, said the identification cards also help place those fishers who are met by police in open waters.

“The police marine unit runs regular checks. In those instances a fisherman can present his ID card identifying himself as a fisherman so that he gets treated as a fisher and not as someone who could be a potential threat,” Mr. Medard explained.

He added that the Department of Fisheries is also in the early stages of trying to source VHF radios that can be essential to fishermen in distress.

“VHF radios or very high frequency radio receivers are of a higher level and are much better than cellular phones,” he explained. “With the VHF radio, any vessel with a VHF receiver can pick up the signal and make distress less burdensome for the crew. So we are working on the licensing and training of fishers to use the radios, and we have been reaching out to the National Radio Telecommunications Association (NTRC), to facilitate the fishers in the use of those radios.”

Fisheries Extension Officers in Saint Lucia are already expertly trained in the use of VHF radios. Expanding the training to fishermen is another security measure that will ensure the safety of fishermen in emergency situations.