SCORES of fisherfolk in Port Royal, East of Kingston, are claiming loss of several hundred thousand dollars as a result of the two-day working visit by United States President Barack Obama to the island last week Wednesday and Thursday.

The disgruntled fisherfolk, numbering in the 30s, told the Jamaica Observer on Friday that they were prevented by the Jamaica Defence Force’s Coast Guard from going out to sea from the day before Obama’s visit.

According to the fishermen, their colleagues who were at sea were brought back to shore by the Coast Guard, as part of measures to secure land, air and sea ahead of the visit by the world’s most powerful man.

The Norman Manley International Airport where Obama’s aeroplane landed, is located on a strip of land in the Kingston Harbour and can be accessed by sea.

The complainants said that they had no problem with instructions to stay away from the harbour but said they find it difficult to understand why they were not allowed to go out to open sea which is way south of the airport and harbour and away from the flight path of Obama’s main aircraft, Air Force One.

They said they were not told that they would not be allowed to go out to the open sea.

“It’s not fair for them to stop us from going out because they stopped our living. We not doing anybody anything,” said fisherman Robert Ricketts, who chocked up his losses from the restriction to about $70,000.

Like Ricketts, other licensed fishermen claim to have lost in the region of $70,000 to $100,000 each. They believe that they should be compensated by the Government for the loss.

“I want to know who will compensate me,” said Kenneth Johnson, who has been fishing for 49 years.

The fishermen, their boats moored nearby, busied themselves with board games in an effort to pass the time. They were unable to push out to sea on Friday due to the windy condition which brings with it rough seas.

Windy conditions were forecasted for three days.

According to the fishermen, the three days they were prevented to go out during Obama’s visit saw the perfect weather condition for fishing.

Husband and wife George and Marcia were anxious to get back to their livelihood, so on Friday morning around 4 o’clock, they set out to sea from Port Royal.

By noon, they were back at shore. Their catch: Nothing to write home about.

“I understand that safety is important,” said George, “(but) they shouldn’t do that at all… because you deprive us of our food.

“We should be compensated for the loss,” George insisted.