Latest update April 7th, 2025 12:08 AM
‘Fisher folk battered by discouraging environment
– cite loss of traditional fishing grounds, low worker turnout
By Zena Henry
Kaieteur News – Facing low catches and the denial of access to traditional fishing grounds, local fisher folks now say that they are losing workers to the unfavourable conditions. This was relayed to Kaieteur News by boat owners who had congregated at the Meadow Bank wharf yesterday for an environmental consultation exercise regarding the US$600M Port of Vreed-en-Hoop project that will go toward the Environmental Impact Assessment report for that Region 3 based project.
Consultations with fishermen at the Meadow Bank wharf yesterday
The exercise which is being undertaken by Trinidad and Tobago based environmental consulting firm, Coastal Dynamics Limited sought to engage fishermen on how they would be impacted by the upcoming port project. They requested information regarding fishermen’s working locations as they too related need-to-know information about the venture.
The fishermen requested a second meeting with the consultancy group since they said that it was called at short notice and did not give benefit to many fishermen and boat owners who were absent at the time.
Outside of this, the fishermen told the media that they have two main concerns at this time; the poor state of the Meadow Bank wharf and the fact that fishermen are beginning to show less interest in going to sea.
One boat owners said that since they are catching small amounts of fish and are unable to offset their expenses, fishermen are going into other areas of work like construction. “They telling you no. They going and do construction cause you know, there they get a day’s pay. Everybody running away, we had a time when it was the piracy, but now is something else.”
Men who work the fishing boats sometimes spend an average of two weeks on sea, but according to the operators, the fish they are catching can “barely help” and they would resort to using the fish glue money to suffice. In some cases, they say they would also need to give the workers money out of their own pockets.
Additionally, the fishermen lamented the poor state of the wharf which they say has been in need of repairs for many years. “Wha we really concern about as boat owners is this condition of the wharf and no progress in fixing a proper facility. So we concern as boat owners wha business we go do, wha we gun tie we boat pon… with this facility wha falling apart.” The fishermen said that hundreds of people depend on them, from those who purchase fish for retail, those who clean and the consumer.
Fishermen seek upgrade and repair works at the wharf
They reiterated that fishing has been disrupted since boats relating to ExxonMobil’s oil operations offshore ensure the removal of fishing vessels within close proximity of the oil operation. “They will move you out,” the boatman lamented, “and sometimes when you go fishing is right there the lil fish does deh and them move ya.” The fisherman said they are told that they are fishing in the area where Exxon is working and would be told to move to a certain distance.
While there has been no concrete evidence that Exxon’s oil operations are indeed causing the low catches, the fishermen are adamant that vibrations and other activities are contributing factors. “As a small fisher going and throw cast net, you know you can’t mek noise. What about this heavy vibration,” the fishermen questioned. The fish operators said that with need for an improved wharf, low catches, limited access to certain fishing grounds and now another project that could have further impact on access to fishing locations, they could be “scrapped down”. “Right now we deh low, but wha we gone do.” December last, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, told fishermen that government had engaged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to assist with conducting an analysis to determine the reason behind the low catches. The Guyana Association of Trawler Owners and Seafood Processors (GATOSP) had also welcomed government’s intervention regarding the fish study. The Association’s President, Ruben Charles, told the Kaieteur News that the body continues to monitor the situation and awaits the research information. ExxonMobil has noted however, that there is a Community Grievance Mechanism available for affected persons to submit their queries, following which the company will conduct investigations to verify the claims made.
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