The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) today said that the US Coast Guard (USCG) vessel Stone will be in Guyana’s waters on Saturday, January 9 on an exercise.
A MARAD notice in today’s Stabroek News said that the naval exercise area is approximately six nautical miles from Guyana’s coast and in the vicinity of the Demerara Main Ships’ Channel. As such, MARAD advised mariners to steer clear of the area.
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) today said in a separate statement that its Coast Guard and the United States Coast Guard will, on Saturday be engaged in the first of a series of joint exercises as part of the operationalization of the Shiprider Agreement ratified by the two countries in 2020.
This exercise will take place off the coast of Guyana and will focus mainly on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. It will be conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter STONE vessel , which is currently in the region for a multi-country tour.
Last month, the USCG had said that the vessel had embarked from its base in Pascagoula, Mississippi on a multi-month deployment to the South Atlantic with countering illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing, as part of its mission.
According to a USCG release, the brand new Legend-class national security cutter, one of the U.S. Coast Guard’s flagships, will provide a presence and support national security objectives throughout the Atlantic under the umbrella of Operation Southern Cross.
This is the service’s first patrol to South America in recent memory, and will engage regional partners, including Guyana, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.
In September, Guyana and the US signed a maritime pact for joint patrols which will see personnel from the two countries being placed on each other’s vessels.
The Shiprider agreement is a reactivation and endorsement of an agreement already agreed to many years ago but never entered into force.
In September, the Coast Guard released the Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported Fishing Strategic Outlook, which it says reaffirms the agency’s commitment to global maritime security, regional stability, and economic prosperity.
According to Vice Admiral Steven Poulin, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, “The U.S. Coast Guard is committed to the protection of living marine resources. IUU fishing threatens the health of fish stocks and adversely impacts those who follow global norms and national laws. This is a global issue, and IUU is a problem too big for any one nation. Only by working together can we protect livelihoods, ensure ports remain economically productive, and support and sustainable fisheries industry. Stone’s patrol demonstrates our commitment to the established rules-based order while addressing IUU fishing wherever a Coast Guard cutter is deployed.” – Vice Adm. Steven Poulin, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area.
