Dear Sir,

I have been following the progress of the Government’s fishing plans in your newspaper with great dismay. The fish are greatly depleted, here and worldwide, such that any plan to increase catches goes against common sense.

The Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme is based on delusion. Perhaps there was a time when we could talk about a healthy, balanced fishing economy, but this is very long past, literally decades too late.

If we decide to increase exploitation, this will create some money for a few fishers in the short term, but once the fish are gone, and this will happen, the entire industry will collapse. There will be no living in fishing then. Tourism will also be greatly harmed.

Beyond economic concerns, we will have done something regrettably irreparable, and wear the stain of permanently destroying a beautiful piece of creation, not to mention having to live in its sterile skeleton.

I understand that everyone is trying to make a living, but with respect, this is simply nonsensical. It is like reopening a coalmine when we know there is no coal left, and the tunnels have flooded.

I would urge, even beg, the Government to scrap these plans. Their aims are noble but the facts are too grim. If we want to see more fish for diving with, and eating, we need to get some people in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources who actually bat for the environment, and increase — and enforce — regulation as soon as possible.

JOHN GIBBONS

Devonshire