Jamaica’s National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is urging fisher folk to desist from using dynamite to harvest fish, as the practice poses a serious risk to marine and human life.

The call is being made against the background of laboratory tests which have revealed that the fish kill, which occurred in the South Negril River in Westmoreland in May, was possibly caused by persons using dynamite to harvest fish. NEPA said analysis on samples taken from the river indicated that the fish were impacted by some type of explosion, which suggests the possibility of dynamite fishing.

The agency is stressing that using dynamite to harvest fish is dangerous as it may cause harm to human health and the environment. NEPA pointed out that it is also an offence under the Wild Life Protection Act, to use dynamite with the intent to injure or kill fish.

In the meantime, NEPA has lifted its advisory on consuming fish from the South Negril River in Westmoreland.

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For more on NEPA, see http://www.nepa.gov.jm/index.asp