Minister of National Security Robert Montague is confident that the fishing industry should see a reduction in losses by the end of this year, as a result of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coast Guard obtaining two new offshore surveillance vessels.

Speaking at the naming and commissioning ceremony for the ships — Her Majesty Jamaica Ship (HMJS) Cornwall and HMJS Middlesex — Montague said approximately US$10 million in resources is lost each year because of illegal fishing in Jamaica’s territorial waters.

The minister said the new offshore surveillance vessels will help in the crackdown on fisherfolk responsible for the loss.

“From time to time we hear issues relating to illegal poaching from fisherfolk from [as] far away as Central and South America. They have always been availing themselves of Jamaica’s fishing resources.

“The provision of these new vessels will contribute to addressing the situation,” Montague told JDF officers, government officials and members of the diplomatic corps on Tuesday at the ceremony at the Coast Guard’s Port Royal, Kingston headquarters.

“Let us look at what we’re dealing with — illegal human trafficking, drug smuggling, gun smuggling, and removal of our fishing resources,” he added. “Having these ships commissioned into service will immediately improve the effectiveness of the JDF coast guards who are able to interdict over $1.5-billion worth of cocaine and marijuana last year without having them at their disposal.”

Earlier this year, Montague received flak from the parliamentary Opposition when he announced plans to procure the two ships, a surveillance plane and 40 dogs from Cuba to help with crime fighting and border protection.

The Opposition said it believed that investment should be made in more practical areas that will have a more direct impact on the country’s crime problem.

In his defence, Montague had said: “No matter how much guns we dig up off the streets in operations, if we don’t stem the flow of guns coming into Jamaica we will be only treading water.”

HMJS Cornwall and Middlesex, which will be under the leadership of lieutenant commanders Alvin Gayle and Aceion Prescott, respectively, are expected to boost the efforts of the country’s maritime security capabilities and tackle the issues of crime related to border security.

“Not many people recognise that Jamaica has an exclusive economic zone of 235,000 square kilometres. We have maritime space of 25 times our land space. [We have] 497 miles of coastline and 145 illegal points of entry. At our legal points of entry every week we are told of persons attempting to bring in drugs, guns and contraband,” Montague said. “At our legal points of entry there are X-ray machines, security guards, police, sniffer dogs and people still attempt to carry in illegal items. Can you then imagine what is coming in [at] the 145 illegal points of entry?

“It is therefore that reason why we will continue to equip the coastguards and give them the resource needed to effectively patrol and monitor the maritime space,” he continued.

Chief of Defence Staff of the JDF, Major General Rocky Meade, welcomed the commissioning of the ships and agreed that they will help to reduce criminal activities and allow the JDF to better patrol the country’s borders.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Andrew Holness explained that strengthening Jamaica’s border control is imperative to national security and countries must do all they can to protect their sea, land and air borders from illegal activities.

He encouraged Jamaicans to recognise their role in making Jamaica a safer place and said, while the country has not had a terrorist threat, “we cannot be complacent and the employment of these vessels will yield good results, deter and interdict illegal activities”.

During the commissioning ceremony, the ships were named and blessed and a prayer of dedication and the naval prayer were read. A bottle of Champagne was also smashed against their hulls as a ritual for good fortune.

The ships, built by Damen Shipyards in Gorinchem, Netherlands, replaced the JDF Coast Guard’s three previous ships — HMJS Cornwall, HMJS Middlesex and HMJS Surrey. The Jamaica Observer was told that the three ships were traded in for the new ones because they were more than 10 years old.

The two new ships can each carry 20 crew members and can reach speeds at over 20 knots per hour (37 kilometre per hour) with an endurance of over two weeks. They are expected to enable a strong detection and deterring presence in the country’s waters and fulfil the traditional roles of the JDF Coast Guard in search and rescue, fisheries protection, maritime law enforcement, marine environment pollution control, coastal surveillance, anti-smuggling and drug interdiction, give aide to civil power and other government agencies, ceremonial duties and maritime safety.