SURINAME is seeking to negotiate a fisheries agreement with Guyana to better manage its fisheries sector. This was confirmed by Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy on Monday when he disclosed that the continental neighbours were negotiating a fisheries agreement and other measures to manage the fishing industry.
The Surinamese newspaper De Ware Tijd quoted Suriname’s Head of National Disaster Coordination, Jerry Slingard, as saying that SRD$80 million had been budgeted to operationalise the Coast Guard in 2012.
And when the Coast Guard is equipped with vessels and aircraft, the unit would be part of Suriname’s arsenal of a “‘no-nonsense’ policy to protect its fishing grounds against illegal fishing and piracy.”
Suriname’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Hendrik Setrowidjojo, has already told Dr Ramsammy in a letter that Guyanese fishermen have on several occasions been implicated in piracy of their colleagues in Surinamese waters. According to an official in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, It is well-known that many Guyanese fishermen are active in the Dutch-speaking country — whether legal, illegal or operating in a grey zone.
“We have stated in the letter that illegal fishermen will be brought in, and those fishing in Surinamese territorial waters with a Surinamese permit will be registered as well,” said Gerrit Breinburg, from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries.
Meanwhile, Guyana’s Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy has confirmed that the idea of a fisheries agreement is being discussed to stamp out illegal and unsustainable fishing. He made it clear that Guyanese fisherfolk would not be disadvantaged.
However, in response to the De Ware Tijd report, Dr Ramsammy said he was recently in discussions with his Surinamese counterpart in Nickerie, as a follow-up to talks between the Surinamese President, Desi Bouterse, and Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar.
Dr Ramsammy said there could be a limit on the number of licensed fishers, in keeping with global standards aimed at addressing depletion of fish stocks. In this regard, he noted, deep-sea rather than artisanal fisherfolk would be more affected.
He added that Suriname wanted the agreement to not only limit the number of fishing vessels, but also the types of vessels and fishing methods.
Dr Ramsammy assured that the Agriculture Ministry was working to protect the interests of  Guyanese fisherfolk, to ensure that they could fish and have access to licences.
Fewer than 500 Guyanese fisherfolk extract the marine resources from Surinamese waters, the Corentyne River included. Suriname is responsible for licensing fisherfolk in its waters.
The two sides are to meet again in Springlands, come September; and they are presently developing working papers on the area under discussion.
Suriname also plans to stiffen penalties for the use of illegal fishing methods, and plans to deploy its Coast Guard to protect its marine resources.