LA PÊCHE/CHASSE DANS LES CARAIBES...

Sylvain m'a fait parvenir un message très approprié concernant la pêche/chasse dans les Caraibes.  MERCI beaucoup.

Ce n'est pas la première fois depuis que nous naviguons qu'on me souffle à l'oreille que les français (québécois inclus) font du braconnage dans les parcs marin un peu partout. On parle souvent de pêche sur le réseau, il est bien évidant que c'est une activité que nous aimons beaucoup,mais il faut rappeler aux navigateurs de le faire dans la légalité et en quantité raisonnable...pas besoin de 'vider' le trou à langoustes!!

Dans l'article qui suis, du réseau NW Carib net 6209, il est question du bateau québécois 'LaPointe Gaspésienne'. L'équipage a été pris sur le fait en train de pêcher au harpon dans le parc marin de West-End à Roatan. Sujet plutôt délicat à Roatan, car l'an dernier les voiliers ont été chassé du parc sous plusieurs plaintes, incluant le braconnage.

Sylvain

Message

________________________________________________________________________

1. poaching in Roatan

  Posted by: "argoboat" Argo@StanfordAlumni.org argoboat

  Date: Sat Dec 22, 2012 4:49 am ((PST))

On Thursday December 20th  the Director of the Marine Park here in Roatan boarded a Canadian boat named  'La Pointe Gaspesienne'. in West End.

The crew was caught spearfishing and was suspected of poaching lobster in the marine park both in the West End and earlier this week in French Cay Harbour on the reef by a sign which makes it clear the area is a park and a no-fishing zone.

The Marine Park officials found enough lobster and fish aboard to make it clear that the crew had been poaching for several days. The crew claimed they had just arrived two days before and were ignorant of the rules, but 'La Pointe Gaspienne' was in French Cay through the hurricane season and left for the West End two days earlier after the report of a suspected poaching incident by unnamed cruisers was broadcast on the local VHF cruisers net.
As readers of this forum already know, the West End mooring field was closed down by the local municipal government last season and they cited poaching by cruisers as one of the reasons for the closure. The mooring field was not only a great convenience for the cruising community, it was also an important revenue stream for the marine park and businesses in West End Village.

The park is NOT supported by the government and they lost about $12k annually in mooring fees when the mooring field was shut down. This incident cannot help our cause in re-establishing the mooring field.

Cruisers visiting Roatan should understand that spearfishing is not permitted by anyone, including Honduran nationals, anywhere in Roatan.
(The sole exception is for taking lionfish and for that you must take a class and get a license.) Foreign nationals are not permitted to take lobster and conch at any time anywhere in Roatan and Hondurans can only take them outside the park boundaries during the open season.
Fishing is only permitted by hook and line. Cruisers here are being encouraged to report ANY suspected poaching to the Marine Park on channel 16.

Cruisers everywhere should always check local regulations before fishing. The ramifications of illegal fishing can, as in this case, extend far beyond the individual incident.
We don't yet know what punishment will be handed to those aboard 'La Pointe Gaspienne'.  The published fine of $500 will not begin to compensate for the damage done to the relations between cruisers and the local government here in Roatan.

Fiona and Clayton, aboard Argo in French Harbour