Fishermen concerned about ‘oily substance’ floating in Atlantic

Dec 05, 2021 News

…fearful oil companies may be silent about likely spill

Kaieteur News – Some fishermen operating in the Atlantic Ocean offshore Guyana are expressing growing concerns over what they describe as an oily film floating at different points, leading many in the industry to believe that the oil companies might be covering up a possible oil spill.

A screen grab of the footage obtained by this publication purportedly of oil in the Atlantic Ocean, alongside a fishing vessel.

According to reports received by this publication from a number of fisher folk operating from Essequibo to Berbice, the oil floating in the water could possibly be the cause for the decline in their fish catch.
According to reports, up to yesterday, the black oily substance could be seen as close to the coast in the vicinity of the Anna Regina koker in Region Two.
This publication also spoke with some fishermen from the Berbice area who reported sightings similar to those reports emanating from the Essequibo Coast.
This publication has since been provided with a number of video footage captured by different individuals from various points in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) where the fishermen would ply their trade.
The videos depict a dark, sometimes foamy film floating on the ocean surface. In a number of the videos, sailors could be overheard shouting, words to the effect of “oil, this is oil; this got to be from an oil spill.”
Based on reports from the numerous individuals that this publication spoke with, many are of the view that, one or more of the oil operations in the EEZ, could be encountering difficulties that they are not reporting.
Some have bluntly claimed that the companies are being deliberately silent. When this publication reached out to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), it was revealed that while the agency is in receipt of similar reports, the locations are sketchy.
It was pointed out that the CDC has been told of more sightings off the Mahaica coast.
The official said that a specific location is yet to be determined but that the reports are that there is a possible oil leakage either from vessels or the production operations.
A team is expected to be deployed shortly, according to the CDC official.

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