Cedros fishermen continue to face life-threatening attacks at sea by pirates and robbers.
In the latest incident, on Thursday, three fishermen were injured after Spanish-speaking bandits opened fire on their pirogue in the Gulf of Paria.
According to president of the Icacos Fishing Association Esook Ali, this worrying trend happens every year from mid-October to December, with Venezuelan pirates coming into local waters and robbing the fishermen.
In the latest incident, Marlon Sookoo, 38; Marcus John, 25; Rajkumar Seepersad, 22; and Mickel Pascal, 19, all of Fullerton Village, were together with Andy King, 39, of Bonasse Village. While fishing near the Soldado Rock around 7 pm, an unknown number of men in another vessel began shooting at them. The victims told police that the men spoke Spanish.
As the victims took cover, Sookoo was shot in the hip, John was struck on both hands, while a bullet grazed Pascal on his head. They managed to escape and went to the Cedros Police Station where ambulances took them to the Point Fortin Area Hospital.
The injured men were treated and transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital. Sookoo and John were treated and discharged while Pascal remained warded in a stable condition.
Investigations are being spearheaded by Snr Supt Nazrool Hosein and WPC Monsegue as there has been an increase in robberies on the sea.
Speaking by phone yesterday, Ali said fishermen riskd their life every time they ventured out to sea and when anything happened out there they had no one to call.
“Coast Guard cannot work with the system they have because when the pirates see them coming, they will easily throw their guns in the water so it is of no use. What protection do we have out there unless the Coast Guard come in the night as well and stay throughout the day?†Ali asked.
Partner with us, say Coast Guard
With the rising incidence of violence and accidents at sea, Coast Guard public relations officer Lt Cmdr Kirk Jean-Baptiste said fishermen have a responsibility to equip themselves properly before leaving land.
Jean-Baptiste said for years they had been begging fishermen to purchase VHF radios and life vests so that the Coast Guard could be contacted in case of emergency. He said by the time they learned of Thursday’s shooting in the Gulf of Paria, the injured men were already in hospital, leaving them with little chance of capturing the gunmen.
Responding to comments by president of the Icacos Fisherfolk Association Esook Ali that Coast Guard patrols were not working and they should be stationed in the Gulf of Paria at all times, he said the association was not an authority on the Coast Guard.
“Yes, people can see us coming from a couple miles out. However, we still catch people with guns and drugs although they will dump it into the sea. If people dump the guns, it still means that it is not coming to shore so either way we will have served the purpose.
“What these incidents calls for is a stronger cooperation between the Coast Guard and members of the fisherfolk community. For years we have been begging fishermen to go to sea with VHF marine radios and tune into channel 16. It is the quickest way to hail the Coast Guard or any other vessel around.â€
He said mobile phones could be unreliable as they went out of range and the battery could die. He said that life jackets had reflectors and some were equipped with whistles that could be heard from a distance, and flashlights which could be used to signal positions in the night.
He said in 2005, the Coast Guard had partnered with corporate sponsors to provide fishermen with life jackets and radios and the relevant training. Plans are afoot to launch another coastal programme with fisherfolk communities.