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Enforcement of wildlife regulations needed to stop over fishing and hunting
– Ecotourism operator
Residents, tourism operators and conservationists are demanding the speedy implementation of the Wildlife Management and Conservation Regulations to prevent overfishing and irresponsible hunting of animals in Guyana, particularly in the interior regions.
According to Wayne De Freitas, an Ecotourism Operator, for years there have been hardly any laws or regulations monitoring excessive fishing and hunting in Guyana, which are threatening the continuity of animal species and residents’ livelihoods. As such, enforcement of this new regulation is very important.
Sport fishing at Rockstone
The Wildlife Management and Conservation Regulations were gazetted and tabled in the National Assembly, and gained the full support of the National Assembly at its January 16 sitting.
According to the Government Information Agency (GINA), Robert Persaud, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said, “The regulations and guidelines will enable the development of systems, including penalties and mechanisms for enforcement for the management of local wildlife.”
“As it is now, people would complain that it’s over hunting, overfishing, disrespect for spawning seasons for fish, giving other species time to procreate…sometimes if you travel along roadways in our hinterland, you would see containers upon containers of ice boxes and when you check these boxes they would contain wild-meat. So you had these unchecked and certainly disruptive practices that have been taking place for a number of years, it had gotten out of control,” he said.
The Minister emphasized, “The regulations will address these issues, as well as the needs of those indigenous communities which traditionally utilize various wildlife species.
According to De Freitas, residents in the Iwokrama area have been complaining about depleting fresh water fish stocks owing to commercial fishing in the area. It is believed the catches are sold to mining camps, leaving little or no fish for residents who engage in domestic fishing for a daily bread.
He added that in the Rupununi during the rainy season the river raises, forcing the fish to swim to the top. During this period, fishermen use nets to catch thousands of fish, even those with eggs. This practice is a major contributor to the depleting fish stock and there is no preventative measure currently being enforced.
De Freitas emphasized that with the continued depleting fish stock, sport fishing which is being touted by the Ministry of Tourism could die before it catches on. He said that sport is an acceptable form of recreational activity and is not dangerous to the continuity of the fish species.
Traditionally, hunting is an economic activity for persons living in the interior locations. However, hunting of wild animals such as ducks, pigs, ‘labba’ and deer is now being done on a commercial level because of the high price for the meat.
De Freitas related that because there is no season for hunting, hunters frequently set traps and shoot wild animals. In some cases, they provide ammunition to residents to hunt for them. The meats are stored in large ice boxes and are reportedly sold in restaurants and exported to Trinidad and Tobago.
According to GINA, “The rules will see those who engage in any aspect of the wildlife trade being subjected to licencing and certification requirements as it deal with domestic trade regulation, as well as broader wildlife management issues. However, it does not make provisions for the regulation of international trade of wildlife.
A Wildlife Import and Export Bill is being considered to complement the Wildlife Management and Conservation Regulations. The Wildlife Import and Export Bill will provide a national framework and mechanism to govern the international trade of all species of Wildlife in Guyana.”
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