Local fishing industry being strengthened

The United States Economic Affairs Department will help train local officials to support
sustenance of Guyana’s fisheries sector, said Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha.
Mustapha to the state-owned Department of Public Information (DPI) that the government will
be “working very closely with them to ensure that our staff is trained so that we can advise and
train our fisherfolks in Guyana”.
DPI said the agriculture ministry has begun holding consultations with local fisherfolks on a
regular basis and is working along with other associations to help sustain the industry which
contributes some three per cent of Guyana’s gross domestic product (GDP), and approximately
$11.35 billion to exports.
This, DPI noted represents about six per cent of the country’s total exports.
The Government is pursuing several initiatives which the agriculture ministry said will help
promote and safeguard Guyana’s fishing resources.
.“We’ve had a very cordial meeting with the United States Embassy and I will now identify focal
points…at a technical level. (They will be) meeting on a regular basis, and at our level, we will
be meeting almost on a monthly or bi-monthly basis to deal with these issues. But these are very
important trade issues for us,” Mustapha said.
The government plans sweeping reforms to stimulate the fisheries sector, the minister said.
Among the measures he cited include slashing licensing fees; reviving fishermen
cooperatives associations and committees, and removing VAT on fishing gear and
equipment.