Agri Minister calls for new approach to fisheries as Region 6 co-op model highlighted

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has called on fisherfolk and cooperative leaders to embrace a new approach to fisheries development, warning that Guyana’s fishing industry cannot continue to operate using outdated methods if it is to remain competitive and sustainable.
Addressing the fisherfolk in Region Six during an engagement at the Upper Corentyne Fishermen’s Cooperative Society, Mustapha said the sector must move beyond traditional practices and adopt a broader, more modern outlook.
“The world is changing, and we have to change how we do things,” he told them. “We can’t continue to do things in a way that we used to do them 10 or 15 years ago.”

The Minister said Government support to the sector is now being paired with a wider push to modernise operations, strengthen cooperative management, and build a more resilient fishing industry.
“We want to build an industry. We want to make it resilient, strong, and an industry for the future,” he said.
Mustapha pointed to the Upper Corentyne cooperative, also known as the Number 66 Cooperative Society, as a model for other fishing communities, describing it as not only one of the largest in the country but also among the most active.
“You must recognise that. Not only the largest, but one of the most active cooperative societies,” he told members, while urging them to continue supporting their management structure.
He said other fishing areas should seek to emulate the Region Six cooperative, noting that strong organisation and leadership are essential if fisherfolk are to benefit fully from Government investments and future opportunities.
The Minister disclosed that the Government is working closely with cooperative leadership in Region Six to improve services and facilities, including efforts to regularise and activate fuel supply operations so that fisherfolk can access similar standards of support as those available at other upgraded landing sites.
“We are working now with the present management so that they can have their gas station in line… so that the facility that you have here is the same type of facility you have at Number 79 Village,” Mustapha said.
He explained that cooperative societies are expected to play a central role in the modern fisheries model, serving not only as administrative bodies but also as hubs for services, coordination, and development.
To support that goal, Mustapha said he has engaged the Minister of Labour so that the Department of Cooperatives can work more closely with fisheries cooperatives across the country.
“I have spoken to my colleague, the Minister of Labour, so that the co-op department can work along with the cooperative societies around the country,” he said.
According to the Minister, stronger collaboration between cooperatives and Government agencies will allow fisherfolk to benefit from better organisation, improved accountability, and more structured development planning.
He also told the gathering that future growth in the industry will depend on how well they prepare themselves to manage change.
“Whilst we are recognising your sacrifices and your contribution, we must also have a broader vision. We cannot only concentrate on one area,” he said.
Mustapha said cooperative strength is critical to ensuring that investments made in the sector translate into long-term benefits for communities, rather than short-term gains.
He told fisherfolk that when resources enter the sector, they should circulate in ways that strengthen local economies, improve planning, and raise standards of operation.
“So comrades, it’s important that we continue to work together.  Continue to give support to the management here. Continue to support this cooperative society,” he said.
The Minister said the Government’s objective is not only to provide support but also to build a fishing industry that is organised, disciplined, and capable of sustaining itself well into the future.
For fisherfolk in Region Six, Mustapha said their cooperative already demonstrates the potential that exists when proper management, organisation, and community support come together.
“The potentials that you have here are great,” he told them.
As he closed his address, the Minister reminded fisherfolk that the future of the industry will depend not only on Government policies, but on the willingness of stakeholders to adapt, modernise, and work collectively.
“The world is changing,” he said again, “and we have to change how we do things.”