Guyanese, Venezuelans accused of ‘cleaning out’ Suriname’s fishing grounds

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Suriname’s fishing grounds are being stripped on a large scale by dozens of Venezuelan and Guyanese boats and Suriname’s Navy can hardly stop them. It is unimaginable what these boats are carrying away, Suriname navy commander Marino Acton said.
He said that the patrol fleet needs to be strengthened and expanded, because the foreigners sometimes use illegal methods and equipment. The navy can barely patrol the extensive area under question, with just two seaworthy vessels.
In addition, only some of the perpetrators are caught. In the past two months, the navy has confiscated six illegal fishing boats and arrested the crews, including a Venezuelan boat and a Guyanese last weekend.
Acton explained that the Venezuelan boats usually operate in groups of 12 to 15 in a particular area at the same time, especially in deeper waters 80 to 120 miles off the Surinamese coast in order to catch tuna, a lucrative commercial fish.
While the navy approaches one boat, the others flee. “We can’t pursue them, as our boats are not that fast and are not patrol boats,” Acton explained. “We’ve started regular patrols and are currently in the area off the Coppename River.”
Fishing boats are boarded to determine whether they have a licence and are in the right area. The boats are also inspected for the possible use of illegal nets and equipment.
Meanwhile, the illegal fishers caught last weekend have been deported after paying a fine of US$ 7500 for the Venezuelans and US$ 15,000 for the Guyanese. Police spokesman John Jones pointed out that the Guyanese were charged a higher fine, because they used cages, which are illegal internationally.
Acton said the fines do not compensate for the economic and environmental damage and the efforts by the army and police to patrol the marine territory. He estimated that a Venezuela vessel is worth around US$ 87,000, and the catch such boats can carry may be worth US$ 40,000 sometimes, “so a fine of US$ 7000 does not mean much to them”. (de Ware Tijd)

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