National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture in GUYANA

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Guyana is a relatively small producer of fish and seafood when compared to global volume, however in the Caribbean region, Guyana has historically led all producing nations. Guyana exports a significant portion of its production, by value. In recent years many of the resources that underpin the industry have shown the effects of excessive human and environmental impacts, both targeted and accidental. As Guyana experiences its rapid industrial development the demand for fish and fish products increases along with the negative effects on local fish population. This summary report serves to provide the Member States of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism with a work progress during the year 2022 related to agreed CRFM objectives, plans and the provisions. The document highlights implementation of agreed policy and management instruments, as well as country-level efforts to enhance the management of the sector in a way to ensure participants benefit from the available resource, thus ensuring economic and social stability.

HOW TO CITE: Fisheries Department, Guyana, 2026. National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture – Guyana. Contribution 10.8, p 85-102 IN CRFM, 2026. Volume II: National Reports on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Papers presented at the CRFM 20th Anniversary Scientific Conference, 28-31 August 2023. CRFM Special Publication No. 37, CRFM Secretariathttps://www.crfm.int/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=962 

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CONSULTANCY TO DRAFT THE MARITIME ECONOMIC PLAN: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SECTOR IN GUYANA

BELIZE CITY, Thursday, 28 March 2024 (CRFM)—The five-day Joint Stock Assessment Workshop and Stakeholder Consultation for the Atlantic seabob shrimp fisheries of Guyana and Suriname, held in Guyana from 11-15 March 2024, ended with a renewed commitment. Technical experts from the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat, the Continental Shelf Fisheries Working Group (CSWG), FISH4ACP, and private sector processors agreed to keep all hands on deck to steer the fisheries towards greater sustainability.

Caribbean technical experts from the CRFM Secretariat, the Continental Shelf Fisheries Working Group (CSWG), FISH4ACP, and private sector processors collaborated for a joint stock assessment of the seabob fisheries of Guyana and Suriname

Photo: FISH4ACP, Guyana

This recent stock assessment was critical for revealing stock trends and changes in relative abundance of the seabob, enabling the technical experts to provide management advice for both fisheries in Guyana and Suriname.

“You must admit that stock assessments are becoming increasingly important to assess the sustainability of the region’s fisheries. The approach used here—governments and the private sector working together—is one that we should follow across all CRFM Member States,” said Dr. Sandra Grant, Deputy Executive Director, CRFM Secretariat.

Stephen Hall - Fleet operations (and former captain) at Heiploeg Suriname N.V., who has been a seaman for 32 years, said: “The most important thing that I learned coming out of this meeting is that there is still work to be done.” He said that he plans to continue working with the Fisheries Department in Suriname to advance the scientific assessments. He noted that the workshop and stakeholder consultation helped to strengthen their capacity for future work.

Jude Jagroop - Director at Heiploeg Suriname N.V., who has been working in the sector for 31 years, explained that the operations of the company, which has approximately 200 workers, extends along the supply chain—from fishing to processing. He noted that the seabob catches have declined, but he believes that the stock is healthy, although the species distribution may have shifted to more inshore locations.

Jagroop said that the company has two representatives on the Suriname  Seabob Working Group, and it sponsors all the costs incurred to deploy the vessels to collect data with the Fisheries Department. He added that the company also facilitates the accommodation of the Fisheries Department observers whenever needed. One of the critical improvements he cited is the need to enhance the efficiency of data capture through digitization.

Rob Banning, Project Development Manager, Parlevliet & Van der Plas, The Netherlands, highlighted the importance of certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). He said that MSC certification gives consumers extra confidence that when they buy fisheries products, they are coming from a sustainably managed resource. He added that the MSC certification labels are required for companies to sell their produce in Europe and the US, and without this certification, companies have very limited market access, and they have to sell at lower prices.

The Seabob Working Groups of Guyana and Suriname have been charged with leading the implementation of the outcomes and recommendations from the joint stock assessment workshop. Muriel Wirjodirjo, chair of the Suriname Seabob Working Group, said that they conduct a monthly review and analysis of the fisheries, consistent with the ecosystem, precautionary, and participatory approaches. The CRFM CSWG, which provides technical support to the national working groups, promotes the sustainable utilization of continental shelf resources and associated ecosystems through the review and analysis of fisheries and related data, to inform management strategies.

– END –

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The fisheries sector in Guyana provides sustainable jobs for thousands of artisanal fishers (Photo: FISH4ACP, Guyana)

GUYANA, Tuesday, 12 March 2024 (CRFM)—A technical working group of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM)—the Continental Shelf Fisheries Working Group (CSWG)—is collaborating with the global value chain development programme – FISH4ACP, private sector processors, and the Seabob Working Groups of Guyana and Suriname to convene a joint stock assessment workshop in Guyana from 11-15 March 2024.

The assessment of the seabob, a short-lived shallow water shrimp found in the Western Central Atlantic, will cover the stocks of Guyana and Suriname, situated in the North Brazilian Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem. The assessment aims to review and validate the most recent scientific evaluations of the Atlantic seabob fisheries of Suriname and Guyana. The results will be shared with industrial and artisanal fishery stakeholders from Guyana and Suriname for their input during the last two days of the workshop, on 14-15 March 2024.

During the workshop, regional and international technical experts will propose harvest control rules (HCRs) and the related fisheries management plans, taking into account compliance with Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification requirements. The seabob fisheries in both Guyana and Suriname are MSC certified; Suriname’s fishery was first certified in 2011 and Guyana’s fishery in 2019.

The Seabob Working Groups of Guyana and Suriname—which are made up of representatives from the respective Fisheries Departments, the industrial and artisanal seabob sectors, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)—will subsequently lead the implementation of the outcomes and recommendations from the meeting.

The CRFM CSWG aims to promote the sustainable utilization of continental shelf resources and associated ecosystems through the review and analysis of fisheries and related data, to inform management strategies, consistent with the ecosystem, precautionary and participatory approaches to fisheries management.

FISH4ACP is a five-year fish value chain development programme, spanning 2020 to 2025. It is being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with funding from the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

In Guyana, FISH4ACP is working towards a sustainable, resilient, well-managed, and inclusive shrimp fishery to strengthen the country’s position as a leading exporter of Atlantic seabob shrimp while ensuring long-term stability of stocks and bringing more benefits to local fisherfolk, especially women.

The CRFM collaborates with  FAO on the implementation of FISH4ACP.

- ENDS -

 Photos shared on Flickr courtesy FISH4ACP Guyana (Dawn Maison)

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Quick Facts:

• Fisheries sector contribution to GDP %: 3 (2008)
• Fishing area: 12 nm
• Fish production (metric tonne): 41,659
• Fish production, including aquaculture (value in national currency): n/a
• Fish exports (metric tonne): 19,097
• Fish exports (value in national currency): GY $11.6 billion
• Fish imports (metric tonne): 763
• Fish imports (value in national currency): GY $392
• Per capita fish consumption (kg): 54
• EEZ (km2): 138,240
• Shelf area (km2): 48,665
• Number of landing sites: 107
• Number of fishers: 5,971
• Number of fishing vessels: Trawlers (136), red snapper (81), artisanal (1,129)
• Fishing gear/methods: Trawl nets, Chinese seine (fyke seine), pin seine, gillnet (circle and drift seines), traps, cadell and handlines.
• Number of vendors/hawkers: n/a
• Number of processors: 9 licensed industrial processors, 12 cottage industry processors
• Number of exporters: 35 (9 industrial operators and 26 individuals)
• Number of importers: 36
• Area under aquaculture (hectares): 870.105
• Number of aquaculture farms: 5
• Number of aquaculture farmers: 25
• Incentives to fishers and aquaculture farmers: Duty free concession on equipment

Notes:

1. GY $ 205 = US $1.

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