NATIONAL NOTES
The Department of Fisheries has begun a three year programme to assess the harvesting of conch in The Bahamas which is under way in Abaco, Freeport and Grand Bahama. The Department hopes to assemble sufficient data to develop an effective conch management programme. Conch landings usually account for about 10% of the weight of all fishery products landed in The Bahamas.
A British-owned cargo ship sank off the coast of Abaco on 30th December after it was reported a water pipe ruptured in the engine room. The 28 crew members of the Merchant Patriot were rescued by four Coast Guard and US Navy helicopters. The rough seas and 35 mph wind prevented direct rescue from the stricken vessel so the crew members had to jump in to the sea and be brought into the helicopters by net. A Coast Guard diver was in the water providing assistance. The crew members were airlifted to Marsh Harbour. (See ABACO ASSISTS RESCUE EFFORTS)
The elder brother of World Series MVP Livan Hernandez escaped from Cuba with friends and family members on a small raft with a sail. The 29 year old Orlando Hernandez and six others, including his common law wife and two other Cuban baseball stars, reached Anguilla Cays (part of the Cay Sal Bank, 120 miles west of the southern tip of Andros) from where they were rescued by the US Coast Guard and taken to Nassau. The baseball players and the lady concerned were given permission to enter the US but the players remained in The Bahamas for a few more days to establish domicility in another country. This would allow the players to negotiate their skills as free agents (with a substantial signing fee) rather than enter the amateur draft and receive millions less. They eventually left for Costa Rica.
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