Bermudian fisherman Linwood Outerbridge was presented the Peter Gladding Memorial Award for Fishers at the 60th annual meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) held in the Dominican Republic.

The late Peter Gladding was a renowned fisherman who was an active participant in the proceedings of the GCFI for many years. At his death, an award was established to be presented to two fishermen annually.

Fishermen are nominated by their countries for outstanding participation in the fishing industry and their contribution to improving management of fisheries resources.

This year Mr. Outerbridge, together with a fisherman from the Dominican Republic, were the awardees.

Mr. Outerbridge comes from a well-known Bermudian fishing family. He started fishing with his father Ewart, who also started with his father, when he was 13-years-old and has been a full-time commercial fisherman for the past 57 years.

Mr. Outerbridge and his father were reportedly the first to install a diesel engine in a commercial fishing vessel, their prized Big Lizzie out of Tom Moore's Bay.

He followed in his father's footsteps by being appointed a member of the Fisheries Advisory Committee from 1984 to 1990 and soon after he was re-appointed to the Marine Resources Board of which he is still a member.

Since the establishment of the Limited Entry Spiny Lobster Fishery in 1996, Mr. Outerbridge has been a member of the Lobster Advisory Committee.

In addition, he has contributed in a very significant way to the formulation of a number of fisheries regulations (mainly the protection of fish spawning areas).

Mr. Outerbridge has also provided long-standing support for a variety of research projects on both reef fish and lobsters.

He has helped biological sampling of a number of fish species by providing access to his catch and has contributed to our further understanding from his extensive knowledge of the fishery.

He has routinely made his lobster catch available for biological sampling every week during the seven month lobster season for the past ten years.

He has also provided specimens for a tagging program as well as recovering more tagged lobsters than any other fishermen.

Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield said: "Linwood has contributed in numerous ways to the improved management of Bermuda's fisheries resources during his lifetime as a commercial fisherman and he is a very worthy recipient of the Gladding Award.

"I offer my congratulations and my thanks to for Linwood for working so passionately for so long to ensure Bermuda enjoys a sustainable fisheries resource."