The Rio Cobre was restocked with fish on Friday, June 30.
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Kestonard Gordon, Vice-Chair, St. Catherine Parish Development Committee, and Dr Gavin Bellamy, Chief Executive Officer of the National Fisheries Authority
By Halshane Burke
Concern is being raised about the viability of the recent restocking of fish in the Rio Cobre after a number of the fish reportedly died in Bog Walk over the weekend.
Bauxite Alumina Company Windalco was ordered to restock the Rio Cobre in St Catherine after a chemical spill.
That took place only last Friday, but on Monday night Kestonard Gordon, Vice-Chair of the St. Catherine Parish Development Committee, told Radio Jamaica News that a substantial number of the fish have perished.
Mr Gordon claims the lack of consultation with members of the community resulted in the disorderly manner in which the restocking was undertaken.
He said those who undertook who carried out the restocking went to a section of the reiver "against the advice of the community."
He did not explain why the community members advised against the restocking being done in that section of the river, situated in Bog Walk, but noted that "those at Flat Bridge are okay."
On Monday evening Chief Executive Officer of the National Fisheries Authority Dr Gavin Bellamy revealed that the restocking of the Rio Cobre was done without public knowledge to avoid unnecessary crowding and logistical challenges during the process.
Dr. Bellamy, speaking on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines, responded to questions raised by some members of the community about why they did not have prior knowledge of the restocking exercise.
He also dismissed assertions that the restocking exercise was politicized.
Both Opposition Leader Mark Golding and Donnie Bunting, a tilapia farmer, have said they gave a commitment to support the restocking of the Rio Cobre.
But they have complained that the Fisheries Authority failed to respond to their request for approval to supply fish for the restocking.
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