Fisheries
Suriname is rich in natural resources and rich in a variety of fish species. The coastal waters of Suriname contain fish species with a high market value that are in high demand in the Caribbean, United States, Europe and Japan.
Value
The fishing sector is the largest sector in the Agricultural sector in Suriname and comprises more than 35 % of the production value. With an export quantity between 35% and 40% of total exports and more than 5000 people working within the sector, this is a sector of opportunity for investors.
In 2015, vessels operating in Surinamese waters had a total catch of 31.852 tons fish and 6.821 tons shrimp. Over the last decade, the fisheries sector has become increasingly important and currently represents 2.3% of GDP.
Types of fisheries
Fisheries include a whole chain of different segments in which people find employment: from fishermen to fish processing companies to sellers and exporters, and lastly the consumers.
The fisheries in Suriname can be divided in two main sectors: (1) the artisanal sector and (2) industrial sector.
The artisanal sector can also be commercial in nature, may it be on a relatively smaller scale than the industrial fishing. The commercial fisheries contain shrimp and fish trawling, while the artisanal fisheries or ‘small-scale’ fisheries use more traditional fishing techniques like driftnet fishing, Fyke net fishing, seine net fishing, line fishing and chase pin or ‘Jagi-Jagi’ fishing in the rivers and river mouths.
Quality Control and Standards
To guarantee total quality assurance in the production process, staff from the Viskeuringsinstituut (VKI) and from the Fisheries Deputy Directorate (ODVIS) are authorized to investigate and take enforcement measures when checking compliance with the various laws concerning fishing in Suriname.
Processing for export
The companies processing and exporting fish from Suriname
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Marisa Fisheries
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HOLSU N.V.
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Caribbean Sea Foods N.V.
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Omicron Seafood N.V
The companies processing and exporting fish from Suriname
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Marisa Fisheries
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HOLSU N.V.
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Caribbean Sea Foods N.V.
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Omicron Seafood N.V
Seafood Processing and Port Management Facilities - SAIL
PROCESSING CAPACITY
Pink Spotted, Southern Brown, Southern Pink Shrimp:
5 metric tons per day
Atlantic Seabob Shrimp 22.5 metric tons per day
Fish: 8 metric tons per day
CAPACITY FREEZE STORAGE
450 metric ton
NUMBER OF SHIPMENTS
66, 40 ft. reefer containers yearly
Government
The overarching governmental department that is responsible for execution of the governmental fisheries policy and for control on compliance with legal regulations concerning fishing is the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (LVV). Among the main tasks of this department are the issuing of licenses to fishermen and the registration and control of the number of harvests of fishing boats at each official boat landing. The Fisheries Department is supported by several governmental/ semi-governmental institutions to execute their tasks:
· Maritime Authority Suriname (https://www.mas.sr/)
· Suriname Forest Service (LBB) and the Nature Conservation Division (NB)
· The Suriname Coast Guard (http://www.gov.sr/themas/veiligheid-en-orde/kustwacht/)
· Fish Inspection Institute (VKI) (http://www.vki.sr/)