ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Local hoteliers and restaurateurs fear that the incursion of Chinese buyers into the lobster market will cause prices to spike nationwide as well as deplete the amount available in the future.
The conversation was spurred on by an interview with hotelier and fisherman Gilbert Gomes, who reported that Chinese businessmen were attempting to corner the lobster market by offering local fisherman increased purchase prices and other incentives for their catches.
He added that the Chinese are enlisting local fisherman in their attempts to consistently fill two 40-ft containers with lobster to export to Guyana.
“They are paying fifty cents a pound more and a lot of the fishermen, almost 90 per cent of them, refuse to sell the locals the lobsters … and give them to the Chinese. Night and day, when the boats come in the Chinese jump on the boat and they only want to give us what the Chinese men refuse,” said Gomes on the Big Issues yesterday.
According to Gomes, this will result in the local businesses receiving lobster at increased prices or deterioration in the quality of the crustaceans available to the local market.
He also expressed concern that the overfishing of lobster in the waters of Antigua & Barbuda could result in the rapid depletion of the resource.
However, Gomes saved most of his rancour for local fisherman, saying, “As far as I know, we have the worst fishermen on earth. They don’t consider nothing but bribe and money,” he chided, when referring to their willingness to sell to the Chinese.
@ Endurance, I could not have said it any better. How can so many people, be wearing the same blindfolds?
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It’s true we have the worst fisher people around. They think they can just go out and catch what they want as much as they want. Now they cry the waters are dead because they are over fished and now try to blame the Chinese.
Fishing is like farming you must let the sea rest and replenish or it becomes over fished.
Take a look at the US state of Florida and how they run their lobster season. They have a up tick in production. Oh wait we can’t use that method we are here on planet Antigua where things are so different and the US well they are just stupid people.
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For the longest time i’ve been saying antiguans are the worst people and they will never make progress. Why do i say this? they pull each other down and they are so willing to sell each other out for pittance just like those disgusting fishmen.
Look at the state in which antigua is in, the government is contemplating on selling passport to foreigners to raise funds and there are other hidden agendas they are not imparting to the public. Antiguans are so credulous and stupid it isn’t funny.
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As I’ve said for years, it’s time Antigua & Barbuda had a closed season for lobster for at least 4 months, most other islands do. This enables stocks to regenerate and protect the rampant over fishing. As sure as eggs are eggs, witin 10 years lobster will not be available if we do not act NOW.
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