Guyana, Suriname to establish Joint Commission on fisheries – Pres. Ali

After years of a standstill on the issue of fishermen’s licences, Guyana and Suriname have agreed to set up a joint commission to further advance cooperation in the fisheries sector.

This commitment was made during a high-level meeting between President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Surinamese counterpart, Jennifer Geerlings-Simons. The Guyanese Leader travelled to Nieuw Nickerie, Suriname, earlier today to discuss key areas of collaboration with President Geerlings-Simons.

Since 2021, Suriname had promised to issue some 150 licences for Guyanese fisherfolks to operate in the territorial waters of the Dutch-speaking nation. But to date, these licences are yet to be issued, despite repeated efforts by Guyanese authorities to get this matter resolved.

However, the two Heads of State today agreed to work closely to advance agriculture within the framework of the Strategic Dialogue and Cooperation Platform (SDCP), including in the area of fisheries.

“We agreed to establish a joint commission comprising of the ministers responsible for fisheries, technical teams and relevant stakeholders, including the fishing societies themselves and our fisherfolk, before the end of 2025 to further advance cooperation in fisheries,” President Ali revealed at a joint press conference in Nickerie today following the high-level engagement.

Guyanese fishermen operate from the Corentyne Coast and have to use the Corentyne River to get access to the Atlantic, where they get most of their catch. The Corentyne River is Surinamese territory.

Over recent years, however, with the failure of the Suriname Government to uphold its pledge, Guyanese fisherfolk are being exploited and made to pay exorbitant fees to rent licences that are issued to Surinamese businessmen in order to operate in the border river.