Declining fish stocks in the Guianas a matter of concern - WWF official

Declining fish stocks in the Guianas a matter of concern – WWF official

Nov 20, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Declining fish stocks in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana due to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, is a matter of concern, a senior official of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas said last week.

Soraya Wijntuin, Ocean Coordinator, WWF- Guianas made the assertion during a two-day meeting of officials of the fisheries departments of the three countries, in partnership with WWF-Guianas. The regional meeting, which was held on November 15 and 16, was aimed at fostering collaboration to end Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing in Guianas.
“Declining fish stocks is a matter of concern, and this two-day workshop allows us to collectively examine our fishing practices in the Guianas as they are currently harming our marine life and making fisheries management difficult, so we must work together to find a workable solution,” Wijntuin said

Through funding from Oceans-5, the regional meeting evaluated and explored potential paths for collaboration to clarify and enhance efforts to combat IUU fishing and to maintain the sustainability of fisheries at the Guianas Shield level, the WWF-Guianas said.
IUU fishing practices in the Guianas region pose severe threats to fisheries resources, the livelihoods and food supply of coastal communities, and the survival of marine ecosystems and protected species like the leatherback.

Dr. David Singh, Director of WWF-Guianas, emphasized the need for collaboration to tackle the issue. He said that “each country has its own set of challenges when it comes to managing its marine resources; however, there is a common goal among all countries to ensure the sustainability of our fisheries.”

He went on to say that, “the shared commitment involves implementing policies and practices that enable us to benefit from the region’s shared marine resources while ensuring the long-term health of these resources.”

Attendees to the two-day event participated in guided and open discussions to better understand each country’s role in fisheries management. Key stakeholders in law enforcement and regulation from Guyana participated, including the Guyana Revenue Authority, Coast Guard, the Police Force and Judicial Officers from the Director of Public Prosecution and the Maritime Administration Department participated in the event.

Participants were made aware of the status of commercial fish stocks harvested by coastal gillnet fisheries in Guyana and Suriname.
Other agenda items discussed were the various research approaches and the need for better data-sharing practices to improve the accuracy and reliability of data collection and analysis among the regional administrations and ideas towards coherent regional regulations that directly addresses IUU fishing.

To ensure the oceans’ long-term health and productivity for future generations, the WWF said it will work with partners to develop a comprehensive joint action plan that will serve as a roadmap for addressing the major challenges IUU practices pose. It noted that the plan will encompass strategies for improving the monitoring and surveillance of fishing activities, strengthening legal frameworks, and promoting sustainable fishing practices.

Locally, fishermen in have been reporting a rapid decline in catch in recent years, and predicted that they may be out of jobs in the future even as they attributed this to ExxonMobil’s operations offshore.

A key report from the American multinational has warned that there will be significant impact on the nation’s marine resources, due to the cumulative impact of those oil related activities.
ExxonMobil has admitted that its operations offshore daily can impact marine species, including fish and other benthic creatures.