Fishing sector assured of government’s commitment to addressing issues

The Agriculture Ministry continues to make significant strides towards advancing Guyana’s
fishing industry, to encourage increased investment and productivity. The ministry said that of
the $292.4 million budgeted for the fisheries subsector, some $121.7 million was expended at the
end of June 2021.
That investment saw the completion of a strategic plan (2021-2026) for the development of
inland fisheries and aquaculture. Government is also drafting amendments to the Fisheries Act
2002 to incorporate inland fisheries and an aquaculture legislative framework. “When this
government took office in 2020 the state of the fisheries industry was quite dismal. To reverse
the effects of its mismanagement by the previous administration, we immediately withdrew the
VAT on fisheries inputs. Now, fishermen are once again able to purchase fishing equipment and
(get) fishing licenses without having to pay exorbitant fees to conduct their
businesses,” Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha said.

He noted that based on the 2021 mid-year report, in March 2021, an aquaculture committee was
established to provide strategic direction for the commercialisation of the aquaculture industry
and the preparation of the aquaculture master plan. He revealed that a breeding programme is
being developed for indigenous species at the Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculture Station to provide
patwa, lukanani and hassar fingerlings, and snail hatchlings at a subsidised cost to farmers.
The minister said that the report also declared the relaunching of the National Fisherfolk
Organisation this year, along with the Parika and Meadow Bank Fisherman Cooperatives.
Training in organisational management and monitoring of financial transactions and other
records was also conducted.
Further, it noted that the channels at No. 66 Village and the Albion landing sites were desilted to
facilitate movement of the fishing vessels. The agriculture minister has started consultations
with fisherfolk countrywide to ascertain their daily challenges. Mustapha expressed the desire to
work closely with the men and women on the ground to physically understand their pleas.
The Minister recently hosted a boardroom meeting with almost 50 fisherfolk from the
Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region Two) district at the Regional Democratic Council. At that
meeting, the minister listened to the concerns raised. He appealed to them to establish a group
with a leader thus being able to make representation on their behalf. He committed to a technical
team from the agriculture ministry returning to the region to organise the group.