NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (March 14, 2023) — As the Department of Agriculture continues to prepare for the upcoming premiere of Agri-Expo, on March 30 to 31, 2023, Mr. Collin Huggins of Bath Village, who is involved in both fishing and farming has been selected to be the patron of the event, for what the department says is his sterling contribution to the fishing industry on Nevis.
According to his profile, Mr. Huggins has been involved in both fishing and livestock farming from an early age. He describes being in the agriculture field as his livelihood and recalls at the age of 28 promising himself never to work for anyone again. A vow he has kept and which continues to be the guiding light of his career, coupled with unforeseen twists of fate and hard work.
After leaving school, Mr. Huggins joined the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force but after three years he realized it was not where his heart was. Instead, his love for fishing ultimately took over and hence he began his 42-year career.
His early involvement in fishing began with pulling traps for his father who was a fisherman and also a farmer. When his dad became ill, Mr. Huggins took on the brunt of the responsibility and to this day continues to make significant contributions to the agriculture sector on Nevis as both a supplier of land and of the sea.
Mr. Huggins credits Mr. Berkley Dore for the valuable lessons he instilled in him, experiences which he says have expanded his skillset, which led him to ultimately become better in his commercial fishing practice over the years.
However, the Agri-Expo 2023 patron in his advice for younger persons interested in fishing is a strong one – “If you aren’t devoted and determined to be a fisher, do not go out to sea.”
In response to what has been his fondest memory, he recalled the day he caught a strange fish with which he nor his counterparts were familiar and the Fishing List contained no information about his catch and no one knew what type of fish it was.
“Maybe it was a mermaid,” he chuckled.
Mr. Huggins took the opportunity to point to some of the daily challenges with fishing including insufficient attention given to the wants and needs of the fishing community; and the scuba divers’ tendency to shoot fish in breeding grounds.
Notwithstanding, Mr. Huggins loves his job, his family and his children. He acknowledges that his involvement in the agricultural sector has played a major role in his growth and to this day continues to play a pivotal role in his life.
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