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