Agriculture Ministry implements measures to ensure fisheries sector sustainability

Georgetown :With the decline in marine stocks globally, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Fisheries Department is implementing various measures to ensure the sector continues to contribute to Guyana’s development.
Chief Fisheries Officer, Denzil Roberts said, “the marine sector of fisheries in under global pressure, the stocks are diminishing and we have introduced a number of measures to reduce the pressure.”
Roberts explained that at present, additional trawlers to catch sea-bobs are no longer allowed to do so. “We work closely with the trawler association. We had a negotiation in which we did a reduction of the fleet. Vessel monitoring systems have been installed on them as well,” Roberts explained.
These measures follow a recent stock assessment on the sea bob species during which it was found to be fully exploited. A healthy stock level is expected to be maintained with the completion of these efforts.
In addition, Turtle Excluder Devices are being placed on fish nets to allow turtles to escape in the event they are caught. This is a requirement by the United States market to protect the lives of sea turtles. Further, US officials would continually visit Guyana to inspect the operations and at times provide some training to crews and captains.
Attempts are being made to acquire the Marine Stewardship Council certification, which is similar to an eco-label. This certificate would state that Guyana is practicing sustainable harvesting.
Roberts said the ministry is also putting fathom lines or depth lines in place to minimise disputes between artisanal and trawler fishermen. “The artisanal fishermen would go up to a certain point, the sea bob up to a certain point and the prawns a little bit out. So what would normally happen is that sometimes you have conflicts between the trawlers and artisanal, so the fathom line would ensure that everyone keeps in their zone,” he further explained.
Another measure that is being looked at is the Harvest Control Rule which would indicate a limited amount of days per year to fish. “We also have implemented the Bycatch Reduction device on the nets. This will help reduce the catching of fishes allowing trawlers to focus on shrimps,” Roberts said.
He added that in the past there were a lot more resources in the sea and more to be caught, but now, “the amount of catches is like a roller coaster sometimes. This is due to the reduction of the stocks in the sea.”
In 2002, the fisheries act was updated and last year there was an updated Fisheries Marine Management Plan which is valid up to 2020. An Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries policy and strategic plan was also drafted.
The marine and the aquaculture regulations are being created because, and whilst there are less stringent measures for ocean fish to enter the overseas markets, fish from farm have to be tested for pesticides and other chemicals, Roberts said.
These regulations will help Guyana to put the systems in place to be able to export to markets where there is a demand, especially the European market.