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Guyana confident U.S. ban on catfish export will be lifted
Nearly one month after the United States imposed a ban on catfish from Guyana, Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, briefed Cabinet on efforts being made to meet the requirements to lift the restrictions.
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, at his post-Cabinet press conference on Thursday stated that Holder informed Cabinet on Tuesday that the action by the U.S., which was a revision of the rules for imports, was a protective measure.
According to the Minister, the difference is in the ways the catfish was sourced in that the new U.S. rules targeted farm-raised catfish. In Guyana’s case, catfish is wild-caught and U.S. officials were requiring additional documentation.
Minister of States, Joseph Harmon
“The ban is seeking to deal with farm-reared catfish, but because we are all caught in this category called catfish. Our catfish that is not farm-reared is caught into that and that is why we feel confident it is going to be affected in a positive way for us,” Harmon stated.
The local fishing industry was dealt a severe blow when the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) stopped the export of all Siluriformes fish and fish products (catfish species) from Guyana, effective March 1.
“Cabinet was advised that the ministry of agriculture was actively engaged with the U.S authorities to have the matter resolved in the shortest possible time,” Harmon told reporters.
According to industry sources, the decision affects over 90% of all fish exports to the U.S and over 70% of the overall fish export market. The U.S. decision means that apart from the catfish, hassar, cuirass and gilbacker can no longer be exported to the U.S.
“The ban does not affect the export of catfish from Guyana to other markets. This is one of the staple diets of Guyanese who live in the diaspora; the Guyanese in Canada, United Kingdom and other parts of the world; there are not affected by this,” Harmon noted.
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo has blamed Government’s inaction for the ban and noted previously with concern the silence from the APNU+AFC Coalition on the plight of hundreds of fishermen.
Amanda Cauldwell, Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown told Kaieteur News that the U.S. notified the Government of Guyana of the pending changes in November 2015, more than 18 months before they were to go into effect.
According to Jagdeo, the Coalition Administration, despite having received notice of these changes, failed to communicate effectively with the stakeholders of the fisheries sector, many of whom have invested heavily in this area.
Government received an extension until February 3, 2018, to bring Guyana into compliance with the new export regulations and failed again.
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