THE fishing industry continues to grow in economic importance in Guyana, providing a source of relatively cheap protein, and employment for many people in the rural areas.
However, there is an increasing pressure on the marine resources, and measures are being taken to ensure that the fishing industry remains sustainable.

Aquaculture production for the first eleven months of 2012 exceeded 239 metric tonnes, a slight increase from the previous year’s figure. Marine production figures for the same period indicate production of approximately 47,000 metric tonnes, already surpassing the 2011 total figures. Revenue collection from licensing of various activities in the marine subsector indicates a figure of over approximately $24M – a $7M increase over 2011.
While the fishing industry continues to advance, there were severe challenges from the continuing piracy attacks which remain the main obstacle to fishing in Guyana, even though the rising costs of inputs such as fuel and feed for aquaculture are also cause for concern.
Emphasis is also being placed on the promotion of inland fishing, using Guyana’s rich river and swamp resources and the unlimited potential for aquaculture.
The development of a Draft Inland Fisheries Policy and Strategic Plan has been completed and currently is being finalised for presentation to the Fisheries Department for review and to the Minister of Agriculture for approval and subsequent implementation.
The ministry will also be maintaining its relationship with the Ministry of Tourism, in the development of the Rockstone Fish Festival, and other partners to develop sport fishing as a viable enterprise in the hinterland regions.
The fishing diversification programme benefited from the expansion of aquaculture with more than 3,000 hectares of aquaculture around the country. While about 2,500 hectares of this is brackish aquaculture along the coast, about 500 hectares of fresh water aquaculture is now producing tilapia and other fish for local and international consumption.
Approximately 60,000 tilapia fingerlings were produced to date at the Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculture Station and made available to local aquaculture practitioners. These fingerlings are produced using “supermales” brood stock, which ensure that the fingerlings produced are in the majority males which make for better management and production.
Additionally, 3300 hassar fries have been produced as part of the aim to diversify the species available for production. Adult males and females were procured for brood stock in an effort to intensify production.
Research continues at the aquaculture station on the use of different feeds and the practice of cage culture. Feed continues to carry a significant cost in the production process as it is imported, and while efforts are being made to have local feed producers get involved in the production of aquaculture feed, they have not been successful.
In areas where it is not possible to practice aquaculture using ponds, cage culture can be another way to rear fishes; as such the department is conducting trials to develop this method.
Training was done by the aquaculture unit in various regions as a commitment to disseminate aquaculture throughout the country. Such training was carried out in Mashabo, Orealla and at the aquaculture station. Over 50 visits were carried out by officers to farmers bringing extension contact to approximately 240 individuals for 2012. These visits are made on request by farmers on technical advice and also for monitoring existing farms, and to carry out activities like water testing and data collection.
The Fisheries Department is collaborating with the Guyana Association of Trawler Owners and Seafood Processors in pursuit of Marine Stewardship Council Certification on the sustainable exploitation of seabob shrimp resources. A seabob working group was formed, comprising persons from the industry and the Ministry of Agriculture/Fisheries Department.
It is expected that by next year, all trawlers would be equipped with vessel monitoring devices for better management of the industrial fleet. Plans are also in place for the implementation of the by-catch reduction devices on trawling nets.
These devices will reduce the mortality of fishes caught among shrimp and prawns in trawlers nets, so that while this is regarded as non commercial for the industrial fleet, it is the target species for the artisanal fleet; as such there is need to reduce this by- catch as most die before being returned to the ocean.
A six per cent reduction of the seabob trawling fleet was implemented in 2012, in keeping with an agreement to have a total of 20% reduction in an effort to preserve the stock level of marine seabob as agreed between the industry and the Fisheries Department.
The US Turtle Excluder Devices (TED) Inspectors looked at trawlers in Guyana’s fishing zone to ensure that they were complying with the use of theTED. After the inspections, the team indicated their satisfaction with the monitoring mechanism and favourably recommended another year of access to the US market.
A meeting between the Ministers of Agriculture of Guyana and Suriname was held in Suriname, which saw the participation of the Fisheries Department, where fishing issues were discussed. A fishing agreement is currently being formulated for discussion at the next meeting, which is important, as most fisher folk on the lower Corentyne operate in Surinamese waters and there is need for more collaboration between the two countries.