– CRFM official

A SENIOR official of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) has highlighted the potential of fisheries and aquaculture for development in Guyana, with respect to employment, food security, nutrition and trade.Mrs. June Masters, Statistics and Information Analyst of the CRFM, said this country has the capacity to become the number one exporter of fish and fisheries products in the Caribbean, once the sanitary and phytosanitary concerns about such exports are effectively addressed.
She made the observation during a recent workshop, hosted by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA), which discussed a European Union (EU) funded project to upgrade sanitary and phytosanitary regimes of countries within the Region, so that agricultural products and fisheries can meet export market requirements.
Masters explained that the CRFM is a regional fisheries body which coordinates fishing activities and deals with all matters related to fisheries across 17 Caribbean member States, which include the 15 members of CARICOM plus the Turks and Caicos Islands and Anguilla.
The CRFM works closely with the local fisheries division of the Ministry of Agriculture.

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She disclosed that the CRFM has found that fisheries are major contributors to the economic well-being of Guyana.
Masters said that, according to the recently crafted food and nutrition security strategy for Guyana, it was estimated that each person in Guyana consumes about 35.6 kilogrammes of fish per year.
This is twice the average world consumption and underlines the fact that fish is the major source of animal protein in Guyana and that aquaculture has played a significant role in meeting local fish demand.
In terms of export potential, she disclosed that in 2009, Guyana was the second largest exporter of fish in the Caribbean, topped only by Suriname, with the main export markets being in the Caribbean and the United States (U.S.).
She emphasised that it is the view of the CRFM that Guyana can export more fish and fish products.
“Though Guyana has a good thing going, I am here to tell you that you can make this good thing better. Up the game and make sure that the fish product from Guyana could be, without question, of the highest quality and you will be able to access any market worldwide,” she pointed out to the workshop participants.
Masters urged a review of the landing-site facilities, the fisheries legislation, the quality issues and marketing and expansion issues, some of which have bearing on sanitary and phytosanitary concerns and all of which will be addressed in some way by the EU-funded project.
She added: “I, therefore, urge you to make full use of this project, invite you to participate fully and wish you every success in making Guyana number one in fish exports in the Region.”

(By Clifford Stanley)