…fisherfolk banned from going to sea
…no assistance from Government
Only one-third of the 150 fishing boats attached to the Number 66 Fishermen’s Co-op is currently operating at sea but the coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on their livelihood after prices for their catch has drastically decreased.
A fleet of grounded boats at the Number 66 Fishermen’s Co-op
Previously, the fishermen were paid $25,000 for a pound of fish glue but with their only market in China closing its borders, the price has been reduced to $8000.
With production being less, the ban on the exportation of fish and the reduced hours of the local markets, their revenues have been affected.
In light of the effect of the virus on the world, buyers are offering lower prices to the fishermen.
There are presently 800 members of the Co-op who are now fighting to make ends meet.
Chairman of the Number 66 Fishermen’s Co-op, Parmeshwar Jainarine
Chairman of the Number 66 Fishermen’s Co-op, Parmeshwar Jainarine in an interview with Guyana Times stated that about 600 fishermen are currently unemployed.
The boats are being prevented by Suriname authorities from venturing into Surinamese waters to fish. This is part of measures the neighbouring country has put in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in that country.
Officials in Suriname have since stated that since the country has closed its ports, persons are not allowed to venture into Surinamese waters.
Those who operate from the Co-op are hard-pressed to comply since the waters beyond the fishing port belong to Suriname and as such, boat owners will have to acquire a license from Suriname in order to operate.
“Suriname has stopped all vessels from traversing in its waters. For us, the fishers cannot go out. The few that are going out, they are taking a chance,” the Chairman reiterated.
One of the fishermen who took the chance to go out to fish, Jaichan Gopaul
Meanwhile, Jaichan Gopaul has decided to take the risk by passing through Surinamese waters to travel to French Guiana to fish.
“The ice is expensive. $80,000 in ice we have to buy to go out. Now the price for snapper and trout gone down.”
He said it is now difficult to get persons to go out to sea because after some trips, there is no money to pay them.
“Plenty times we make a loss. They get pay based on how much fish we get. Nobody wants to go out there for a whole month and at the end, they only get $15,000.”
Jainarine noted that at least seven boats have been detained by authorities in Suriname.
“They were supposed to release the boats in the second week in April. Then they said the end of the month. The boats are still over there. They sent the crew back to Guyana and they had to be quarantined. By the rain is falling and there is no one there to bail the boats they eventually sink with all the gas and ration,” Jarnarine explained.
One of the boats detained was reportedly on its way back to local shores but the authorities confiscated it.
“When boats leave the port for sea, the crew takes between $300,000 to $400,000 worth in ice, gasoline and grocery,” he noted.
Jainarine is holding out that all the fishing vessels have licenses to operate in both Guyana and Suriname and as such, the vessels should not have been seized.
Meanwhile, in an effort to assist fisherfolk who are being affected by the shutdown of the waterways, the Co-op distributed 250 food hampers.
Sixty were distributed at Corriverton, ninety in Crabwood Creek and the remainder were distributed to fishers attached to the Co-op.
“We were expecting something more tangible from the Fisheries Department. We have not heard from them as yet,” Jainarine said.
In fact, the National COVID-19 Task Force has made no mention of the fisheries sector to date.
Jainarine noted that the Co-op has approached the National Task Force and after three weeks, they are still awaiting a response.
“They called us and said that they will look into the matter and that is all we heard. So there has been no assistance from the authorities. We contribute towards the national economy and we feel something should be done since ninety per cent of our catch is sent overseas.”
He explained that a list of all the members including boat owners was sent to the Chief Fisheries Officer with the hope of getting some assistance but this did not materialise.
