As part of its security strategy for artisanal fishing in Guyana, the government has acquired monitoring devices worth some US$50,000 that it says will improve safety for fisherfolk while at sea.
The Ministry of Agriculture in a release yesterday, announced that through its Fisheries Depart-ment, it has recently procured 100 Vessel Monitoring Devices (VMDs). These devices, it explained, play a pivotal role in ensuring sustainable fishing practices and by equipping Guyana’s artisanal vessels with these devices, the Fisheries Department will be able to monitor fishing activities in real-time, with the hope of minimising illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
According to the release, the VMDs were procured from Latitude Geospatial Inc. for approximately US$50,000 with additional devices expected to be delivered in the coming months. Installation on vessels in regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, and Six is expected to commence in the coming week
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who was present at the handing-over exercise in the ministry’s main boardroom yesterday, emphasised that the fisheries sector continues to be of “utmost importance” to the government as it provides affordable protein to Guyanese and contributes to the country’s overall export earnings. He noted that the safety of Guyanese fisherfolk is important to the government and that investments are being made to ensure they are safe while at sea.
“Many people are of the perception that the average fisherfolk does not want to get involved in technology and the new way of doing things but we have to change that perception. The fishing industry is very important for us in this country. It provides cheap proteins for Guyanese and brings in a lot of revenue. This is why the government has been putting a lot of resources into this industry. These devices will help us to monitor your vessels’ location. While we’ve seen a significant reduction in piracy in our country, we still have to ensure systems are in place to deal with these issues. These devices will also allow us to monitor the fishing grounds you are operating so you won’t be accused of being outside of our grounds because we’ve been seeing that over the last few years”, he said.
The Minister during his remarks, assured that the ministry will continue to work towards ensuring adequate surveillance systems are in place, disclosing that the goal is to have all registered vessels in Guyana equipped with one of the monitoring devices. Further, investments are also being made to enhance facilities where fisherfolk ply their trade across the country.
“Only recently, the President and I visited the Meadow Bank Wharf when it was decided that the entire wharf will be rehabilitated. We’ve also been working with different stakeholders from across the country to improve their lives, but we need your full cooperation to move the process forward. We want to form a partnership. This is why we are working to register all of our fisherfolk and their vessels. It isn’t about collecting revenue. We need to know how many persons are involved in the industry so that we can work to improve their standards,” the Minister explained.
Mustapha noted as well, that the VMDs will also safeguard Guyana’s marine ecosystems, preserve biodiversity, and sustain fish stocks for future generations. Their deployment, he added, will enhance safety at sea for fisherfolk as the devices provide crucial data on vessel location, enabling prompt response in the event of an emergency. “With the unpredictable nature of maritime environments, such measures are indispensable for protecting the lives of our fishermen and ensuring their safe return to shore,” the release added.
