Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud yesterday appealed to fisher-folk throughout the country to support his ministry’s anti-piracy revolving fund and other initiatives to tackle the problem.

Speaking at a press briefing at his Regent and Vlissengen Streets Headquarters, he pointed out that even though there have been less than a dozen confirmed cases of piracy this year, a steep decline from the previous year, fishermen should not become too complacent.

He said the decline was achieved following numerous steps taken by the government over the past 14 months to curtail, if not eliminate the scourge.

Prior to the decline, the government had established a $5M revolving fund to assist fishermen who are confirmed victims of piracy, but Persaud reported that an overwhelming majority of fishermen have not been subscribing to the programme.

He said fishermen have ignored the scheme, despite the subscription fee is no where close to an onerous financial burden.

The minister explained that the fee is only 0.25 per cent of their assets which consist mainly of their fishing boats, engines and nets, and according to him this translates to an amount not exceeding $6, 000.

He disclosed that only seven fishermen have subscribed to the programme and only they will benefit if they become victims to sea robbers.

Persaud noted too that his ministry has worked very closely with the Coast Guard in putting a state-of-the-art communication network in place to help fishermen at sea.

He said for the fishermen to become part of the network, they only have to purchase a simple hand-set which will allow them to “radio-in” for help if the need arises when they are at sea.

He said many fishermen have not subscribed to the network.

Government has invested some $15M to strengthen the system which covers some 80 per cent of areas under the fishery co-op societies, and interlinks its membership, the Police and the Coast Guard.

He pointed out too that through collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, his ministry was able to work with the Police force in assisting co-op societies in obtaining access to firearm licences for qualified fisherfolk.

He said some fishermen have “opted-in” to the arrangement while others have “opted out”; but on the whole, a number of these societies benefitted under this scheme.

The minister told reporters that the Coast Guard has deployed more resources to tackle the problem and has set-up anti-piracy committees in various fishing communities to support its efforts.

On that score, Persaud lauded Commodore Gary Best for his sustained interest and support for the anti-piracy initiative.

The Ministry of Agriculture has also provided two new boats and outboard engines to the Berbice and Essequibo fishing communities to enhance their ability to respond to crisis situations.

In addition, government, in an effort to comprehensively address the issue, last year amended the Anti-piracy Act to make the illicit activity a non-bailable offence.