The Natural Resources Conservation Authority, NRCA, says fisherfolk operating from Jacob Taylor Beach in Trelawny will not be displaced.
Instead, they will be incorporated into the restoration plans for the location.
Fisherfolk who spoke with Nationwide News last week, complained bitterly about eviction notices from the NRCA.
But in a statement just before news time on Wednesday, the NRCA said it’s moving to reassure the operators amid the disquiet.
It says the conceptual plan provides for their integration through a dedicated fishers’ hub with facilities for boat access, equipment and fish storage, and the maintenance of engines.
The NRCA says the re-development is in keeping with the original intent for the beach when it was rehabilitated in 2003.
According to the authority, Jacob Taylor Beach was intended to operate as a model public beach that was well-maintained, environmentally responsible and freely accessible.
Chairman of the NRCA, Christopher Whyms-Stone says the rights of fisherfolk as traditional users are safeguarded under the Beach Control Act.
He says their continued access will be protected when the proposed redevelopment proceeds.
The NRCA chair says the notices to quit were served on vendors illegally occupying the beach.
He says the notices were intended to address an outstanding occupancy and tenancy matter and to allow the property to be brought under a lawful, orderly and properly managed framework.
