BESIDES breaking waves, mangroves forest provides a natural habitat for marine life. For generations, persons residing close to foreshores have earned their livelihoods from this richly diverse marine life. Local community beneficiaries include those in fishing, agriculture, timber and charcoal, leather, honey production, as well as tourism. Unfortunately, the loss of mangroves forest has a negative impact on their abilities to earn.

Shrimping 
Had the estimated loss in mangrove area not occurred, the Guyanese fishery industry would have gained US$544,320 annually with the sale of seabob landings on the international market. That puts a dollar value of US$1,389 per hectare of mangroves forest with respect to fisheries.

This is one of the findings from a recent study conducted by Duke University under the “North Brazil Shelf Mangroves Project” funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by Conservation International. The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute was the local implementing partner.

Data assembled from multiple scientific publications on mangrove-fishery linkages illustrates variations in shellfish catch due to changes in mangrove cover. The research concluded that a 1.68 percent loss in shellfish catch per year is expected in Guyana due to mangrove loss.

The study received inputs from local fisher folks from La Grange, Zeeburg, Ogle, Hope Beach, Goed Fortuin, and the Georgetown Fish Market. Most of the fishermen catch the same finfish species, including catfish, trout, banga mary, mackerel, kingfish, gilbaka, curras, hardhead, snook, basha, paku, as well as seabob, shrimp, and sherriga crabs. Most of the catch is sold to wholesalers or middlemen, or to women. Several support workers aid in the fishing industry, including net menders, and boat repair workers.

Catch of seabob shrimp did not appear to be affected based on the discussions with fishermen at Zeeburg and Ogle. According to some fishermen, these changes were only moderately tied to changes in mangrove ecosystems. Others described this connection as direct and strong, and understood the critical importance of mangroves to fisheries and their coastal communities.

Fishing 
Catch volumes and species are very important to all employed or involved in the fisheries sector because the catch is directly tied to pay. As most trips are self-funded, the livelihoods of fishermen, as well as other workers, are heavily dependent on fish and shrimp catch.

Fishing was commonly described as a lucrative industry that can “make a person rich”. Even with such promising outcomes, hard work does not attract young men. Those fishermen who have been in the industry for a long time derive all of their income from fishing. In some areas such as La Grange some of the fishermen were not full-time fishers. They find employment in the construction sector as well.

The mud crab season (July-August) is described as a time to build and maintain inter-generational connections within one’s family. Crabbing was mentioned as a common activity both among fishermen, as well as the indigenous communities in Region One, Fishermen tend to keep some of the catch for their own and families’ consumption, amounting to about 5-10 percent of total catch, according to one of the fishermen.

Ecotourism 
Regarding the future potential of the sector, fishing driven ecotourism was described by fishermen as a potentially successful endeavour, with large tarpon and other sport fish farther away from the coast, in the “blue water.”

One of the stakeholders, the operator of the Mangrove Tour out of Cove and John, described the culinary and cultural components of the tour, but fishing is currently not included among the activities that visitors can participate in. Aquaculture is only present in Regions Six, and could potentially yield high volumes of fish and shrimp, such as cockabelly, or black shrimp, but the impact on mangroves must be mitigated.

Challenges
Some long-time fishermen in Anna Regina and Hope Beach see mangroves as a challenge to overcome. Specifically, they have noticed an increase in sedimentation rates with the expansion of some mangrove areas, making it more challenging to catch fish and shrimp close to shore as they were able to do in the past. Also, they need to take their boats out farther; some fishermen estimated they had to go out almost one mile as compared to a quarter-mile or less, from years ago.