The conflict between fishermen and the authorities concerning the proposed method of zoning the island in respect of compensation for bad weather was finally solved on Friday. The agreement is that the government will keep the zoning system but will also allow fishermen to go fishing both inside and outside the lagoon. All fishermen who register to go fishing outside the lagoon will be granted bad weather allowance equivalent to 15 days a month. The criterion for this allowance will no longer be the speed of the wind but the state of the sea.

The clash started with the government?s decision to divide the island into four regions for bad weather allowance. Fishermen were totally against this new method, effective as from 1st June, which they considered unfair. It was already hard for them to make ends meet and this new method would have sounded the death knell for them. This allowance was often their only means of survival.

After a trial of strength between the authorities and fishermen for the past few weeks, recent days have appeared quieter on both sides. When they saw that the minister of Agro-industry and Fishing, Arvin Boolell was prepared to listen to their grievances, the fishermen realised they could obtain something from government. ?We are 50% satisfied with the meeting we had with the minister of Agro-Industry as he listened carefully to our proposal to put an end to the system of zoning outside the lagoon,? commented the president of the fishermen?s union, Judex Ramphul, after their meeting on Thursday. Likewise, the minister seemed to appreciate the ?improvement in the relations with the fishermen?s union thanks to regular consultations?.

It could already be felt that their demonstration planned for Friday afternoon would not be as important as initially planned. Fishermen appeared relieved that discussions were open with the authorities and that the minister was taking their proposals into consideration.

And they were right! The minister has indeed accepted to put an end to the zoning system outside the lagoon and committed to help all fishermen to go fishing in the open sea. ?We are ready to grant necessary training to fishermen who want to go in that direction. There is no question of granting this allocation to those who do not deserve it,? he insisted. The 400 lagoon fishermen have been requested to register with the ministry.

Commenting the union?s proposal that all fishermen over 60 be granted subsidies, the minister said, ?We are studying the cases of fishermen above 60?. A new meeting is scheduled tomorrow between the consultative committee chaired by minister Boolell and the fishermen?s union to discuss the issue. Judex Ramphul will try to obtain from the government that 92 of the 399 lagoon fishermen who are over 60 be given the choice between continuing fishing and getting a monthly allowance of Rs 1,600. For the remaining 307 fishermen, he will ask that they be authorised to fish outside the lagoon.

This meeting should take place in a quiet atmosphere now that the two parties have reached a general agreement on the allowance. But Arvin Boolell also made it clear that fishermen had to seize the opportunity the government was giving them to emerge from their precarious situation. Instead of complaining about their fate, some could take advantage of the Fishermen?s Investment Trust set up by the government. Likewise, the government is ?encouraging all fishermen to take an active part in the seafood hub?.