The waters between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela have become one of the most dangerous workplaces in the Caribbean. Trinbagonian fishermen now operate in a maritime space shared by US military vessels conducting counter-narcotics operations, Venezuelan armed groups engaged in piracy, and the remnants of a fishing economy that has seen catches decline by 50% over a decade.
Some fishermen have responded by fishing closer to shore, reducing their catch potential. Others fish only at night. The practical effect is the same: the traditional fishing grounds are increasingly inaccessible.
The Missing and the Dead
Relatives of missing Trinbagonians Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo have filed wrongful death lawsuits in US federal court. Their families allege the men were killed during US military operations in Caribbean waters. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights held hearings on the matter on March 12, 2026.
Captain Andell Plummer remains missing.
These are not isolated incidents in an otherwise safe maritime environment. They are the human cost of a convergence of threats: US military strikes on suspected drug vessels, Venezuelan-origin piracy including kidnappings and gun smuggling, and the collapse of cooperative maritime governance between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.
The Piracy Problem
Armed piracy from Venezuelan waters is not new, but it has intensified. Fishermen report kidnappings, armed robberies, theft of engines and catch, and encounters with smuggling operations. The pirates operate from the Venezuelan coast, cross into Trinbagonian waters, and return.
The coast guard's capacity to patrol these waters has been questioned repeatedly. Defence Minister Sturge acknowledged the fleet "is not what it should be" when justifying the US radar deployment in Tobago. If the fleet is inadequate for radar-level surveillance, it is inadequate for the ongoing protection of fishermen operating daily in the same waters.
The G/ATOR Question
Between November 2025 and March 2026, a US Marine Corps G/ATOR radar system was stationed in Tobago with a range of 170 miles. During that period, a 29-foot fishing vessel departed Buccoo on March 2 heading for Union Island and was never seen again.
THA representative Keigon Denoon said the G/ATOR was "not the ideal system" to track the missing vessel. He could not confirm whether the radar was even used in the search.
A military radar capable of detecting stealth aircraft was stationed on the same island where fishermen were going missing - and nobody can say whether it assisted in any search operation. The radar was deployed for strategic purposes. The fishermen's safety was not among them.
50% Decline
Fish catches in Trinidad and Tobago have declined by approximately 50% over the past decade. The causes are multiple: overfishing, environmental degradation, climate change effects on fish populations, and the security situation that pushes fishermen away from productive grounds.
The economic impact extends beyond the fishermen themselves. Fishing communities in Cedros, Icacos, Moruga, and along the north coast depend on the catch for livelihoods. Fish is a staple protein source. When catches decline, food prices rise and communities that depended on fishing shift to other - often less stable - sources of income.
The Connection
The fishing crisis connects to the broader security and sovereignty questions that define Trinidad and Tobago's current moment. The US military operates in the waters. Venezuelan pirates operate in the waters. The coast guard is inadequate. The radar that could have helped was deployed for other purposes. The fishermen are caught between all of these forces, with no advocate and no protection.
A maritime security strategy that addresses the interests of Trinbagonian fishermen - rather than treating them as collateral participants in a geopolitical contest - does not exist. The Doral Charter committed Trinidad and Tobago to a military alliance against cartels. It said nothing about protecting the people who fish the waters where those operations take place.
The families filing lawsuits in US federal court are not seeking geopolitical answers. They are seeking accountability for specific losses. But their cases illustrate what happens when a small nation's citizens occupy the same space as great power military operations and regional criminal enterprises - and when nobody's strategy includes keeping them safe.