Guyanese paying up to US$7,000 to rent Suriname’s SK fishing licence

Guyanese fishermen in the Upper Corentyne are being forced to pay as much as US$7,000 to rent SK fishing licences from Surinamese nationals, despite Dutch residents paying as little as US$350 to acquire the same document from their government. The SK licence permits fishing in open waters, with issuance beginning in January and ending in March.

This sharp increase in rental fees follows the continued refusal of the Surinamese government to issue the 150 fishing licences promised to Guyanese operators more than four years ago.

Chairman of the Upper Corentyne Fisherman Co-op Society, Parmeshwar Jainarine, told Ignite News that the situation has worsened for local fishers. He explained that Corentyne fishermen are now paying between US$5,000 and US$7,000 to rent licences from Surinamese nationals, as there seems to be no move by the Dutch authorities to honour their commitment to local fishermen.

Suriname had previously acknowledged the long-standing contributions of Guyanese fishermen in developing its fishing industry and had agreed to issue 150 licences. However, according to Jainarine, Surinamese nationals are actively resisting this move, having realised the financial benefits of renting out their licences at exorbitant rates.

Fishermen in the Upper Corentyne—particularly those from Numbers 65, 66, and 79 Villages—are heavily dependent on Surinamese licences, as their location places them directly in Surinamese-controlled waters. Jainarine explained that the section of the Corentyne River where they operate is under Suriname’s jurisdiction. While the Government of Guyana has worked tirelessly to secure these licences for local fishermen, Jainarine said it is Surinamese nationals who are actively opposing the process.

He emphasised that Guyanese fishermen played a crucial role in developing Suriname’s fishing sector, and once locals in Suriname recognised the financial gains of renting out licences, they fought against their issuance and continued to increase rental fees. This situation has placed significant financial strain on Corentyne fishermen.

“Can you imagine paying more than a million dollars for a licence that originally costs about $73,000? I doubt you even pay that much for a gold or diamond licence,” Jainarine remarked.

Compounding this issue are additional restrictions. Guyanese fishermen are required to leave their fishing boats in Suriname after work, with no security provided—despite the vessel being their only means of returning to Guyana. They are also required to first sell their catch in Suriname, where the influx of fish lowers prices, before being allowed to sell any remaining catch in Guyana.

Jainarine lamented that the current situation allows Surinamese nationals to profit from the hard work of Guyanese fishermen, who take all the risks without any guarantee of recovering their investments. Some 300 fishermen are affected by this licensing dilemma.