Prawn production, cage fishing to be expanded countrywide

Guyana continues to make major strides in the fisheries sector with the implementation of various initiatives aimed to expand productivity.

The production of prawns and the lucrative marine cage project are expected to further boost the country’s aquaculture sector significantly, since they will be expanded countrywide.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha told the Department of Public Information recently, that the government has had many successes over the last two years in the aquaculture sector.

He noted that the government will continue to work aggressively to transform the sector.

Minister Mustapha said, “We have rolled out the cage culture that the President spoke about. This year, we will be setting up, approximately, another 50 cages around the country. That means that we have to enhance our areas like at the Satyadeow Sawh aquaculture station so that we can have these fingerlings to supply to those cages and produce our fingerlings…In the aquaculture area, we are looking to build an industry.”

A popular and financially successful method of producing marketable fish currently is fish cultivation in cages.

Cage fishing was first introduced last year in Mainstay/Whyaka, Region Two.

Minister Mustapha emphasised that this year, the production of prawns will be conducted in Regions Five and Six. Government is already in the process of constructing the ponds for this project.

In addition, production has also increased massively for the brackish water shrimp from 10,000 to 90,000 kilogrammes.

“We are about 80 to 85 per cent of the project so far. I am hoping at the end of the project, we can reach the target that we planned now about 120,000 kilogrammes monthly… With those projects that we have in Region Six, of course, people across the country are looking forward …They need help too to start that kind of shrimp production in areas like Regions Five and Two. So, we will be working with the farmers,” the agriculture minister underlined.

It was  noted that approximately $500 million was expended last year in the fisheries sector, especially for the brackish water shrimp production.

President, Irfaan Ali made several commitments during his visits to the landing sites where enhancement work will be done including lights, sheds, and washroom facilities, among others. So far, approximately 75 landing sites have been improved throughout the country.