Seabob industry under threat

Sep 19, 2008 News

…decision on sustainable management urgently needed

The recommended techniques in ensuring the sustainable management of Guyana’s seabob resources are of some concerns to the Seafood Trawlers and Processors Association.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the association hosted a workshop, where stakeholders met to determine the way forward for the industry.
The recommendation by the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism, among other experts, is that Guyana reduces the fleet of vessels that is exploiting the commodity while at the same time changing the closing season for harvesting from September to May.
Each year during the month of September, no seabob harvesting is allowed.
However, according to the experts, it would be a better to change the harvesting period to May of each year.
Speaking with Kaieteur News yesterday, Chairman of the Seafood Trawlers and Processors Association, Bruce Vieira, said that while the association is willing to abide with some reduction and some measures to enable the seabob to remain sustainable, the recommendations by the experts are ‘far too drastic’.
“We do not believe that it is as bad as they are making it out to be,” Vieira opined.
Even as the Trawlers Association expresses its apprehension with the recommendation, Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, yesterday stated that he continues to be disappointed by the level of interest demonstrated by players within the fishing sector to activities and consultations.
The Minister was at the time addressing a small gathering at Grand Coastal Inn, Le Ressouvenir, ECD, during the hosting of a seabob sustainable management workshop.
According to Persaud, persons within the industry cannot accuse his Ministry of not consulting with them before decisions are made for the sector.

A section of the participants at yesterday’s forum

“For the past several months, we have been examining various options as to how it is we can ensure that our seabob resources are managed and utilized in a way that we do not suffer the consequences later on of finding out our stocks have been depleted,” Persaud said.
The Fisheries Department, he explained, has been looking at data which was provided by the industry.
The Minister added that measures are being put in place to ensure that the data supplied can be verified.
“I know that the stakeholders, the private sector and the operators themselves have been engaging and working with the fisheries department in the Ministry to ensure that whatever data we have can stand scrutiny and can be verified in a way in which we can make sound decisions,” he said.
One of the difficulties that the Ministry of Agriculture has in making a decision on the issue is the fact that there is not accurate enough data to make a final verdict.
At present, there are 103 vessels that harvest seabob in Guyana.
This industry contributes at least US$5M to Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product each year.
The workshop yesterday dealt with some of the decisions on how to deal with the seabob resources and while at the same time sharing various views and recommendations.
Recently, a Fisheries Management Plan was approved by Cabinet.