Thank you, Premier.
As the Premier stated, I am the Chair of MOVE: Mobilise Organise Visualise and Execute, a grassroots organization formed in 2015 that raises issues, people, and movements that preserve, support or promotes Bermudians and our way of life.
When we were approached by Fishermen who asked us for assistance, M.O.V.E. readily accepted the request and immersed ourselves in the Industry.
We created a Fisheries Committee, our Members fished, worked on boats, surveyed Fishermen, met with Ministers, and found every Government document that we could about Bermuda’s Fishing Industry.
We created a 50-question survey for Fishermen to determine the size of their boat, which fishing gear they use, their frequency of fishing, crew, venue from where they sold, expenses of a fishing trip, and of course their interest in evolving the Industry.
In addition, we worked on boats, read papers and data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, and spoke with the Founder of the Fishermen’s Association of Bermuda.
Our experience showed us that while the Government is supportive of Commercial Fishermen, Fishermen face other threats. Some of those are: foreign, long-line fishing vessels in Bermuda’s waters, the lack of access to funding to repair boats to get them back overboard, and the impact of illegal, undersized fishing.
Marketwise, we found that it can be difficult for Residents to get local fish when wanted, because Fishermen sell their entire catch… normally within hours of offering it for sale.
The amount of imported fish that is sold in Bermuda, tells us that part of the solution is needing more fish, the other part is needing more strategy and unity to satisfy the National Demand for fish.
All of that data and experience was then compiled and analysed, and in 2018 we approached the Minister with our findings that led us to believe that a Fishing Cooperative was the most effective method to increase the Annual Catch and economically empower Fishermen.
We had a very fruitful meeting with the Minister, and a Technical Officer came to several M.O.V.E. meetings throughout 2019 to talk and to listen to Members and Fishermen.
It is for those reasons, and as a result of that due diligence and other work, that in the fourth quarter of 2019 we created a plan and timeline to establish the Bermuda Triangle Fishing Cooperative.
The Cooperative will be running a Pilot Programme to test assumptions, and to establish the practices and processes that the full Cooperative intends to execute. We have also created incentives for Members, and we will also assess them according to results of the Pilot.
We have a few spaces left for the Pilot Programme and interested Fishermen should send an email to btfcexecutive@gmail.com, or contact a M.O.V.E. Member who will provide further details.
Thank you for your time and attention.