Agriculture Minister Leslie Ramsammy has reiterated that he is the only person designated to issue fishing licenses in Guyana and that no consideration is being made at this time to issue 40 fishing licenses to Chinese nationals.Ramsammy told Kaieteur News recently that the Chinese license report is a “false alarm,” since no formal applications have been made to his Ministry for the issuance of licences.Agriculture Minister Leslie RamsammyMinister Ramsammy’s clarification comes in the wake of much speculation that no less than 40 fishing licenses were being considered for Chinese nationals. Several maritime operators had expressed concern over the matter, causing the Guyana Association of Trawler Owners and Seafood Processors (GATOSP) to dispatch a letter to the Agriculture Minister requesting clarity on the issue.Minister Ramammy said that his Ministry is always interested in proposals to conduct deep water fishing in Guyana. These, he explained are operations conducted in areas where Guyanese vessels do not traverse. If there are any considerations to be made,Wholesale Jerseys China, he said, it would be in that area.The Minister further noted that there have been requests by several countries to conduct deep water fishing locally, but this would not be the same as trawler fishing, “since the Ministry is clamping down on the number of fishing trawlers and are no longer issuing licenses.”Ramsammy reiterated that the Ministry is,Cheap Jerseys, “always looking into the area of deep water fishing but until formal requests are made, we are just interested.”? He clarified that not only are there no considerations being made; no new fishing licenses are being issued.On the other hand, nations such as France, Brazil,Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados have indicated their interest in conducting deep water fishing in Guyana. However,Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic, no locations have been identified for the prospective deep water fishing.The President of the GATO&SP had related to Kaieteur News that the fishing community was deeply concerned over the speculation that Government was about to grant fishing licences to? Chinese nationals which caused panic.The fishing industry argued that if the licenses were given to the Chinese nationals it would come at a time when local sea operators are being urged to reduce fleet numbers because of dwindling stocks and a growing need for more protection in the fishing industry.They demanded information regarding the number of vessels, the type of fishing, the area to be traversed and the type of gear. They wanted to know further, the track record of the company and the benefits to Guyana. The Association is still to receive a response from the Agriculture Minister.In 2010,Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, an overhaul of the industry was suggested with the aim of reducing the number of operating trawlers at the beginning of 2011. GATOSP further considered a proposal that could reduce its fleet of fishing vessels by at least 20 percent.