The Ministry of Agriculture has secured a five-year management plan which will seek to – amongst other things – address piracy.
The 24-page action plan, which also addresses overfishing, illegal and unregulated fishing, was handed over to the Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder by the World Wildlife Funds (WWF) Guianas yesterday.
WWF-Guianas’s Country Manager, Aiesha Williams was quoted by the Department of Public Information (DPI) as saying that while the WWF consistently partners with the Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Fisheries, further collaboration will be done as the plan is being implemented.
Williams highlighted that under the Safety and Order at Sea section within the plan, the actions to be taken seek to improve tracking of vessels, reporting and addressing piracy. Also, plans to address issues relating to licensing and registration, marine environment, safety and order at sea, dialogue cooperation and coordination, and finance are contained in the document.
Williams described the handing over of the management plan as one that is, “a show of our commitment for the safeguarding of our marine environment, as well as the wellbeing and our livelihoods of folks that depend on the sector.”
Minister Holder remarked that the transformation of the artisanal sector will undergo is one that is necessary for its growth.” These changes will be resisted by many, but with awareness programmes by the Fisheries Department, and with assistance by Cooperatives, I am sure all involved in this sub-sector will be willing to adapt to these changes,” the Agriculture Minister stated.
