Paul & David Mellor
By GENEA NOELFreeport News Reporter
Freeport, Grand Bahama- A net tuna fishing boat preying in the waters of Grand Bahama is allegedly the centre of an investigation by the Department of Marine Resources for being equipped with a device that can pose much threat to our treasured marine resources.
The Freeport News has learned that the boat, docked at a local marina, is reportedly operated by two Bahamian brothers, David and Paul Mellor. It was reportedly brought into The Bahamas from Italy by Dockwise and is valued at $2 million.
The vessel is said to be equipped with a fishing net, stretching for a about a mile long, with the capacity to capture large game fish and other marine life.
Sources say that this type of fishing allows the fishermen to catch everything including dolphins, sharks, turtles and other endangered species. Sources also allege that the boat is equipped with a device that chops up what the fishermen do not want for bait.
Other sources from the Department told the Freeport News that they are looking into the matter and explained that if a device like that does exist, it would not be allowed to operate.
Local fishermen and those in Abaco also reported that they fear that the large-scale tuna fishing will greatly deplete local tuna stocks and harm the multi-million dollar sport fishing industry, as well as harm protected species such as dolphins and juvenile fish.
This type of fishing, though never practiced in The Bahamas is said to be an experiment by the Department of Agriculture and Marine Resources.
However, sources from the Ministry of Tourism believe that something "sinister" is going on at the department as a Chinese group is reportedly having locals in North Andros harvest sea cucumber by the thousands for export.
Though unsure of the environmental implication associated with this, the source said, that it cannot be good as these organisms play a role in the cleaning of our pristine sea.
The Freeport News contacted the Mellor brothers on the matter in regard to their fishing boat and practices. They seemed more than happy to explain exactly what they are planning to do.
According to the duo most of what has been said about the Killer Tuna Boat, is untrue and many have been misinformed about their intentions.
Paul said as Bahamians we are unfortunately led by hype and conjecture without taking the time to find out the facts.
He said that in no way are they trying to deplete the tuna resources in our waters but are aiming to establish a type of aquaculture.
If managed correctly, the brothers maintained that it could create jobs for Bahamians and ensure that The Bahamas and the world's tuna stock continue to stay at near perfect levels.
Their plan- The Bahamas Pelagic Aqua-culture Tuna program – will facilitate and promote through scientific research and technical results that development of a substainable and profitable aquaculture industry that would be internationally recognized, the Mellor brothers explained.They are attempting to dispel rumours that have been circulating in recent weeks.
The pair refuted claims about the boat being equipped with a device to destroy marine life and said that when catching tuna, which travel in schools, if another sea animal is in the catch, they can be easily removed.
'If for some reason it ever does happen we have a open door in the tuna cage that we use to transfer the fish and that we can quite easily transfer the dolphins and other things in perfect condition," David said.
"We don't set our nets near or on the reef. We set them in open ocean in 3,000 feet of open ocean."
He pointed out that this is not an experiment by the Ministry and what they are attempting to do is not illegal. It has never been tried they added. David welcomed the public to research the information about tuna fishing at www.nmfs.noaa.gov
