Chemical changes in Guyana’s water causing significant reduction in seafood production

Chemical changes in Guyana’s water causing significant reduction in seafood production – Mid-year Report

Oct 10, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – Chemical changes in Guyana’s coastal waters have caused a significant decrease in shrimp production. This is according to the Ministry of Finance’s 2021 Mid-Year Report.
According to the Report, a review of the first six months of 2021 revealed that Guyanese fishermen recorded lower catch rates for white belly shrimp and finfish. The Report highlighted too that compared to the same period for the previous year there was a significant decrease in the production of white belly shrimp and finfish by 75.5 percent and 26.3 percent, respectively.

Mending their nets. This group of fishermen had spoken with Kaieteur News reporters at the Meadow Bank Fish Wharf.

It was stated that the significant reduction in the production of white belly shrimp was caused by a change in salinity of coastal waters. Salinity is the degree of saltiness of the water.
Earlier this year, interviews were conducted by Kaieteur News which suggested that our fishermen have been “catching hell”.
In fact, this media house had reported that it received numerous reports of a rapid depletion of fish in Guyana’s waters. It was reported that a number of fishermen have blamed poor regulations by the Government for issuing too many fishing licences, thereby causing the sea to become overcrowded with fishing boats.
While others believe that it might be as a result of the ongoing exploration, drilling and production of crude by ExxonMobil. In light of this, no independent study has been made public by the government about the effects these oil operations have on the nation’s marine life.
Moreover, the Mid-Year Report stated that the decrease in the white belly shrimp and finfish production outweighed the growth recorded in the production of seabob shrimp, tuna, prawns and red snapper.
When compared to the same period last year, the overall fish and shrimp production fell by 22.1 percent and 8 percent, respectively and based on the industry’s half-year performance, it is now expected to decrease by 0.5 percent in 2021.
During the reviewed period, $121.7 million of the $292.4 million budgeted for the fisheries subsector was expended and the fishing industry’s production decreased by an estimated 6.6 percent when compared with the same period in 2020.
Within the first six months of this year, the Government re-launched the National Fisherfolk Organisation and the Parika and Meadow Bank Fisherman Cooperatives. There has also been training in Organisational Management and Monitoring of financial transactions and other records for the fisheries industry.
The report also stated that a breeding programme is being developed for the indigenous species at the Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculture Station to provide Patwa, Lukanani and Hassar fingerlings, and snail hatchlings at a subsidised cost to farmers. Further, the channels at No.66 Village and Albion landing sites were desalted to facilitate movement of fishing vessels.
Additionally, a Strategic Plan for 2021-2026 which was created for the development of inland fisheries and aquaculture was completed, and amendments to the Fisheries Act 2002 to incorporate inland fisheries and an aquaculture legislative framework are being drafted.
In March 2021, an aquaculture committee was established to provide strategic direction for the commercialisation of the aquaculture industry and the preparation of the aquaculture master plan.

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