KINGSTON, Jamaica, – Over 30 Jamaican fishermen who were detained for illegal fishing in Columbian waters returned home late Friday.
In a statement, Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith said the fishermen arrived safely in Port Royal.
“The fishermen were received at sea by members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) as well as representatives of the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).”
In addition, four nationals from the Dominican Republic who were also detained on the same vessel and who have work authorization for Jamaica, were also repatriated.
“I am happy to report that all 33 Jamaican fishermen are now on the island although regrettably, as previously advised, the captain has been detained to face charges. I extend heartfelt appreciation to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for securing the necessary funding for the Jamaican leg of the repatriation, as well as to the JDF for coordinating the logistics with their Colombian counterparts and receiving the fishermen at the arranged meeting point where they were then transported to Jamaica. I also acknowledge PICA’s integral role in the verification process relating to the crew members,” said Johnson Smith.
“I also commend the boat owner who, in recognition of the private nature of his enterprise, has committed to reimbursing the Government for no less than one half of the cost of fuel purchased by the JDF to undertake the repatriation exercise.”
The Foreign Affairs Minister again called on fishermen and boat owners to fish responsibly in Jamaican waters and not extend their operations to the territorial waters of neighboring countries in order to avoid the detention and seizure of vessels.
She also reminded that the Foreign Ministry will be working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to establish a policy to govern the country’s approach to such matters going forward.
CMC/
