The government of Suriname has not yet issued the 150 SK fishing licences to Guyanese fishermen, which were promised in 2021 following an agreement between the two countries, and Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha said he is disappointed.
In 2021, an agreement between Suriname and Guyana was reached for 150 fisherfolk here to be granted licences by Paramaribo starting from January 2022. This is still to be realised after pushback from licence holders in Nickerie who currently rent licences to Guyanese and stand to lose revenue.
Stabroek News made contact with President of Suriname Chan Santokhi for an update and was told by his public relations arm to speak with Minister of Agriculture Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Parmanand Sewdien. However, efforts to contact him proved futile.
Surinamese purchase yearly fishing licences for US$50 and rent them to Guyanese fisherfolk. Stabroek News was told that rented licences for 2023 were the highest ever, costing Guyanese between US$4,000 and US$6,000. Before the issue arose, annual licences were being rented to Guyanese for US$2,500 and US$3,000.
Minister Mustapha, when contacted for an update on the matter, told Stabroek News that he has attempted to raise the issue at every forum possible and will continue to do so. Nonetheless, Mustapha said he was disappointed with the way in which the situation has been stalled, adding that it was a show of bad faith by Suriname’s Ministry of Agriculture.
Mustapha stressed that Guyana supplied all of the documents and requirements that were requested by the Suri-namese authorities so as to have the licences issued, but that they have not responded. He noted that a “firm commitment” had been made and he will continue to raise the matter.
In September 2022, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a chronology of events leading up to the impasse after Suriname breached its agreement to provide the licences.
According to the details provided, the issue was discussed at the presidential level in 2020. Following the first meeting of the Agriculture Working Group under the SDCP, which was convened in Suriname in November 2020, Guyana requested that Suriname issue 150 SK licences to Guyanese fishermen to fish offshore Suriname.
Agreeing to grant the licences, the Government of Suriname indicated that it would set up a government-owned company to be the business partner of the Guyanese fishermen with which they will sign a “Vessel basing Agreement”, and which will take care of the registration of the vessels of the Guyanese fishermen. This was in keeping with Suriname’s fishing legislation.
The Government of Suriname also proposed the conclusion of a Fisheries Agreement between the two countries which would also address the granting of licences. Guyana continued to engage in the discussions with Suriname in good faith with the expectation that they would result in a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Suriname’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries also requested the names of the middlemen from whom the Guyanese fishermen were renting their licences. Further, a number of criteria were outlined for the formation of the company.
The statement stressed that “Guyana complied with all the other requirements of Suriname for the setting up of the company and after some reluctance on the part of the Guyanese fishermen, the names of the middlemen were eventually handed over to the Surinamese Government.”
At that time, the foreign ministers of Guyana and Suriname also remained in communication on the issue.Guyana’s Foreign Minister Hugh Todd wrote to his Surinamese counterpart, Minister Albert Ramdin on 13 August 2021, reminding him of Suriname’s commitment to issue the licences.
The Presidents of Guyana and Suriname met between 17-20 August 2021 in Georgetown and discussed the issuance of SK fishing licences to Guyanese fisherfolk. The Joint Communique issued by the presidents from those discussions committed “that both ministers responsible would work towards the issuance of fishing licences in that category by January 1, 2022, keeping in mind the established quota on the Surinamese side.”
However, several months following that nothing further was heard from Suriname, and Todd again wrote a letter dated 20 December 2021, to his Surina-mese counterpart reminding him of the commitment and urging his intervention in bringing about a resolution of that outstanding matter.
Todd received a response dated January 6, 2022, from Ramdin in which he suggested that the ministers of Agriculture of both countries convene a meeting on January 13, 2022 in order to reach an agreement. That meeting was never held.
Then at the Guyana/Suriname/ Brazil Tripartite Summit which was held in Suriname, on 20 January 2022, the presidents of Guyana and Suriname met, and the licences were again discussed. President Santokhi indicated that he remained committed to the issuance of SK licences to Guyanese fishermen. However, Guyana did not receive any further formal or substantive communication from Suriname on the issue.
Meanwhile, fisherfolk in the Corentyne area believe that the licences cannot be issued given the pushback from the holders in Suriname.
“We paying between $4,000 to $6,000, depends who you renting from and them people na go rent it to we, because them talking over there that that na go happen so them [Guyana’s authorities] should talk with them and let them carry down the price for we to rent it,” one fisherman said.
Another fisherman said, “If them na want give the licence, them should reduce the price. Suriname take out the licence and we still ga land the catch in Suriname, all this we got to figure out.”
According to information gathered, inspections have begun for the renting of the licences for 2024, and so Guyanese fishers are hopeful that they will see a reduced price from Suriname holders.
Fisherfolk in the Corentyne area expressed reservations about speaking out in the press as they believe Suriname authorities and holders of the licences monitor the news in Guyana.
“Last time we talk, them people threaten not to rent it to us. I renting with a lady for 15 years now, me and she alright and the lady tell me they sending pressure fa them not to rent to people who talking and calling for the licence,” one fisherman said.
New markets
Meanwhile, fisherfolk around Guyana are calling on the authorities to create more markets explaining that since they had high catch this year fish prices have gone down.
As a result of the low prices, sources in the Corentyne area say that around 20 – 30 fishing boats were parked for some time as owners were claiming that they were not making enough to pay the fishermen.
At present, Region Six has an average of 1,500 fishermen.
According to the fisherfolk, Grey Snapper moved from $580 – $600 per pound to $350 – $400, Banga Mary from $200 – $220 to $80 – $110. “These are the main species we usually fish for… Sea trout, another species we target is stable. The price right now is $300 – $340,” a fisherman said.
The fishermen are calling for a more aggressive and cohesive plan to create new markets to support the country’s two largest markets – Jamaica and the USA. Some suggested that Guyana look at the possibility of creating markets in China, as they understand that the European markets come with a lot of stipulations.
“We get high catch whole year, that is true, but we need them to open more markets. The small buyers claiming they not getting money to pay us and so they got to look at that too but right now for this industry to keep going they need to open more markets,” a fisherman from Region Three said.
Another fisherman stressed, “Fish price drop, we get large catch since starting the year and price went down.”
Asked about this, Mustapha said it had not been brought to his attention, but stressed that he would be delegating someone to look into it.
Meanwhile, Stabroek News was told that the prices were rising again as it was a supply and demand issue.
