My Barbados Blog

The tribunal convened under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to rule on the matter.

The proceedings were initiated by Barbados in February 2004 after years of wrangling with Port of Spain over fishing and other rights.

The quarrel caused tension between Barbados and Trinidad as Barbadian fishermen were constantly intercepted in an area that Trinidad insisted was its territorial waters. The fishermen were sometimes jailed and their catches confiscated.

Flying fish, the national icon of Barbados, was at the center of this dispute. The flying fish headed for warmer waters close to Trinidad, and the government of Trinidad took issue with the Barbadian fisherman, who they insisted where in their territorial waters.  

The Permanent Court of Arbitration has come to a decision on the Trinidad & Tobago-Barbados fishing dispute and has established a maritime boundary between these two countries.

The Tribunal has unanimously found that, among other points:

"Trinidad & Tobago are under duty to agree upon the measures necessary to co-ordinate and ensure the conservation and development of flyingfish stock, and to negotiate in good faith and conclude an agreement that will accord fisherfolk of Barbados access to fisheries within the Exclusive economic Zone of Trinidad and Tobago, subject to the limitations and conditions of that agreement and to the right and duty of Trinidad and Tobago to conserve and manage the living resources of waters within its jurisdiction."

Barbados first initiated arbitration proceedings against Trinidad & Tobago back in February 2004 requesting "delimitation of a single maritime boundary between these exclusive economic zones and continental shelves".

Central to Barbados' argument was the importance of the flying fish to its history and economy.

Barbados has maintained that they has fished for flying fish off the coast of Tobago from as early as the 17th century and that this fishing accounts for a large component of their fishing industry.

Trinidad & Tobago has contested the arguments made by Barbados, calling the argument that Barbadians have fished off the coast of Tobago for centuries fictional.

Both parties see this decision as a victory - at least according to the Trinidad newspaper.  I did not find an article in the Barbados newspapers about the judgement handed down by the court today.

Linda, Travel 2 the Caribbean