By JASMIN BONIMY, Guardian Staff Reporter, jasmin@nasguard.com

A top fisheries official has insisted joint operations between law enforcement agencies is helping with the nation-wide crack down on illegal fishing.

Director of Fisheries Michael Braynen told The Nassau Guardian in an exclusive interview that his department has teamed up with the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) and Defence Force officers, to fight poaching in Bahamian waters.

"We are very happy with the kind of responses we've been getting," Braynen said about the working relationship between the various departments. "We've been getting a response from police officers in the Berry Islands. That's because we did an enforcement exercise in that area a few months ago," he added. "It was very receptive and very helpful and they seemed to be very interested so we were very happy for that."

In a press release issued by the Defence Force yesterday, it was revealed that yet another fisherman was arrested in the Northern Bahamas after violating the Fisheries Act.

"While on routine patrol off Wood Cay, located off Grand Bahama, a Defence Force patrol craft under the command of Petty Officer Freddy Rolle boarded and searched a 13-foot open hull fishing vessel," the statement read. "On board was a Bahamian male, who had a quantity of undersized and out of season crawfish."

During the interview Braynen also admitted that help from other agencies supplements his department's lack of manpower.

"It's [Bahamian territorial waters] a very large area to police," explained Braynen. "The Department of Marine resources has very limited staff in the Family Islands, however, we do have other law enforcement agencies. The police can act anywhere with regard to Fisheries-related matters. It's simply a matter of persons being courageous enough to bring information they have to the police.

"Right now there is an exercise going on with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Department of Marine Resources," he said. "And they will be active until basically the lobster season opens on August 1."

This latest arrest of a fisherman came less than 24 hours after two male Haitian nationals - one a 58-year-old resident of Russell Town, Eight Mile Rock and the other a 38-year-old of Pinedale, Eight Mile Rock - were taken into police custody after being arrested for fisheries regulations offenses.

According to reports around 8:50 a.m. on Monday, Royal Bahamas Defence Force and fisheries inspectors discovered approximately 300 pounds of freshly caught scale fish contained in several large coolers. The men reportedly could not produce their commercial fishing permit authorizing them to engage in this type of fishing in The Bahamas.

As a result, the they were arrested and brought into West End, where they were handed over to police officials. Police say formal charges are pending in this matter.