Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Drift seine fishermen ‘bullied’ out of work
– nets slashed, threatened by rival fishers
More than 60 drift-seine fishermen have alleged that they were forced to cease their operations yesterday on the out shores of the Essequibo Coast (Shallow Ground), after an illegally operating crew of anchor seine fishermen, destroyed their fishing nets and threatened them.
The 80- man anchor-seine fishing crew, said to be from De Kindren, West Coast Demerara, are alleged to be unlicensed fishermen who commenced a 20- boat anchor-seine operation within the last year in the area.
The drift seine fishermen related to this publication that the anchor-seine fishermen, who lack fishing experience, normally stalk their vessels to access areas where high concentrations of fish are available.
As a result, the anchor-seine fishermen position themselves to fish at a point close to the drifting net, which eventually tangles with the anchors of the anchor seine boats.
Anchor-seine fishermen caught cutting the nets of drift-seine fishermen, after it tangled with their boat’s anchor.
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The drift-seine fishermen, whose nets drift about three miles from their vessels with a floatation device attached to it, are complaining that the anchor-seine fishermen would then cut their drift-nets that tangle with the anchor.
This has reportedly forced the drift-seine fishermen to cease fishing on the coast, until the matter is resolved.
According to the fishermen, they are being “threatened with murder” by the villagers, when they confront them about the matter.
The drift-seine fishermen are saying that the equipment cost over $5M, and the cost of nets are also expensive.
They expressed their disappointment with the fact that they are not compensated.
Recently, after several reports were made of persons operating fishing vessels using the illegal anchor seines, the GDF in collaboration with the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, conducted a maritime patrol exercise from Georgetown to Anna Regina, Essequibo, intercepting a total of nine fishing vessels operating illegally in Guyana’s waterways.
The culprits were advised that drifting seines rather than anchor seines were permitted in accordance with the country’s fishing regulations.
However, even with this intervention by government, many drift-seine fishermen have been forced to cease their operations.
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