The Ministry of Blue Economy and Marine Affairs has become aware of the growing practice of unsustainable fishing practices being undertaken in the Levera Pond.
These activities include the continuous use and/or abandonment of fishing gear (nets) that are left in the water for prolonged periods, resulting in ghost fishing, along with indiscriminate line fishing that causes serious harm to aquatic life.
Fish which are caught with these gears are wasted since they are not harvested promptly. The practice of leaving abandoned fishing gear continues to affect wildlife negatively, including nontargeted fish species and migratory species of birds. This disrupts the biological diversity of the area and has serious implications for the ecosystem services it provides.
The public is further advised that since 2012, the area has been designated as a Ramsar protected site, which requires special protection to maintain its ecological balance.
Furthermore, the ministry reminds the public that Levera Beach is a closed area from 1 April to 31 August each year, in accordance with the Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations, 1996, and the Levera Beach Closed Area Regulations, SRO #15 of 2010, amended by SRO #8 of 2011.
As such, the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Blue Economy and Marine Affairs and the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, and Forestry will convene a community consultation with Grenadian nationals within the area who use the resources within the lake to regulate the activities, ensuring that they are done in a sustainable manner.
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