A grass roots campaign group has distanced itself to the Government’s plans for a fish processing plant in the East End.

Willie Ferguson, the chairman of Mobilise Organise Visualise Execute – Move – said the Government’s plan for the Marginal Wharf, St David’s, factory was far from the co-operative proposal at first envisaged.

The group branded the proposed factory, scheduled to get under way this financial year, “a vanity project”.

Move added it had “absolutely nothing whatsoever” to do with a factory that “does not economically empower fishermen, does not promote stewardship of the sea, and does nothing to sustain one of Bermuda’s oldest, and most culturally significant vocations”.

Mr Ferguson said: “What we have signed on for was a co-operative owned and operated by fishermen.

“I have had people approaching me every day to ask about what’s going on. We are no longer associated with it.”

Mr Ferguson said a co-operative no longer appeared to be on the table.

The group was speaking after details of the scheme were outlined in Parliament last month by Wayne Furbert, the Cabinet Office minister.

Mr Furbert said design plans for the shoreside plant in the hands of a steering committee formed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, with representatives from the Fishermen’s Association of Bermuda.

Mr Ferguson said Move was approached by fishermen in 2018 and the group set up a fisheries committee to come up with proposals.