Shadow Environment Minister Cole Simons has called Government's 15-year Fisheries Strategy "totally unacceptable".

In an e-mail to The Royal Gazette Mr. Simons claimed the report is overdue and blamed Government for dragging their heals in releasing the plan.

"This is the PLP's eleventh year in government and we are just receiving its so called marine resource strategic plan," he said. "It is unconscionable and unacceptable that this rather limited and narrowly focused fishing industry plan, and so called marine resource strategic plan is released, six years after the Governments White Paper of the Marine Environment and Fishing Industry is released. A one year lead time from the White Paper to the 15-year strategic plan would be acceptable but a six-year lead time after the Government's policy position is presented is totally unacceptable."

The Green Paper on Bermuda's Marine Resources and the Fishing Industry in Bermuda was completed by then Minister of the Environment the Arthur Hodgson in January 2000. The Green Paper was followed in 2005 by the White Paper on the Marine Environment and the Fishing Industry in Bermuda, which was presented by then Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield.

"This comprehensive report laid out all of the issues, and was a rather comprehensive cornerstone on which to build today's all encompassing Marine Resource Strategic Plan," said Mr. Simons.

Mr. Simons claimed in his e-mail that the fact that Government took nearly six years to come out with the 15-year strategy indicates a lack of interest in the matter on the part of the current Government.

"This poor performance truly demonstrates this Brown Government's lack of commitment to Bermuda's marine environment and our fishing industry," he said. "It yet again demonstrates that the management of our marine resources and our fishing industry is truly not a priority for this Government. As a strategic plan for the sustainable use of Bermuda's living marine resource, this so called national document is woefully deficient, and its crafters must go back to the drawing board and address our marine resources and fishing industry in a complete, all encompassing integrated manner. As a national marine resource document, this 15 year strategic plan is incomplete and totally unacceptable."

And Mr. Simons raised several questions about the 15-year plan. In his e-mail he questioned the apparent lack of support for the marine recreation industry which includes charter fisherman, snorkel tours, glass bottom boats and the like.

Mr. Simons also highlighted his concerns over ballast water from ships that could contaminate Bermuda's marine environment and that there is no mention of how Government intends to manage the sedimentation caused by cruise ship propeller wash which can be destructive to the marine environment. He asked about Government's policy towards marine pollution.

Said Mr. Simons: "No mention has been made of the management and impact of our solid waste disposal and dumping at places like the airport. What about the sewage waste from cesspits, septic tanks, ocean fallouts and the deep sealed boreholes? These pollutants must pose real concerns to the managers of Bermuda's marine resources."

Mr. Simons also raised questions about a Fisheries Commission to evaluate fishermen's status and licence eligibility and the issuance of commercial fishing licences.

Environmentally safe mooring systems, duty free tax concessions for the marine resources and fishing industry, underwater dredging policies and marina operating licenses should have been addressed more thoroughly in the plan, he claimed.