he returned to the island in january 1972 and opened his own welding shop on prescador drive and eventually became the manager of that shop. due to his stellar experience in the fishing industry, heredia was appointed as the director of the caribeña cooperative which he served for 30 years, he still had his passion for the open sea and went out on fishing trips with guillermo nunez and/or severo castillo at least once a week their catches were then sold to the cooperative.