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>> Download PDF of this Press Release September 6, 2006 The National Aquaculture Association of Guyana and Guyana Trade and Investment Support Attend the Seventh International Symposium on Tilapia Aquaculture in Veracruz, Mexico Veracruz, Mexico—Representatives from The National Aquaculture Association of Guyana (NAAG) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsored project, Guyana Trade and Investment Support (GTIS), spent Wednesday attending events related to the Seventh International Symposium on Tilapia Aquaculture (ISTA) in Veracruz, Mexico. Representatives from NAAG and GTIS are at the symposium in an effort to further establish Guyana’s aquaculture sector. At the ISTA opening ceremony, the mayor of Veracruz spoke succinctly on the importance of aquaculture. He believes, “a great challenge for humanity is to have enough food for our growing planet. We believe here in Veracruz, Tilapia is an answer to this growing need.” He also pointed out that the aquaculture farms create better jobs and opportunities for local residents. Tilapia is seen as the ideal aquaculture fish for several reasons. It is a hardy and highly adaptable fish. It’s also fast growing and easy to breed. In the industry, tilapia is referred to as the “aquatic chicken.” And soon, it seems, people the world over will be eating as much tilapia as they do chicken. Considered a healthy alternative to red meat, the demand for fish is growing. This demand has depleted essential marine species in the wild and aquaculture is needed to maintain a steady supply of fish without further emptying our oceans. Worldwide production of tilapia now exceeds that of salmon and trout. In 2005, the US imported 300 million pounds of tilapia. The market for tilapia is large and only continues to grow. Guyana is in the perfect position to become another major producer of tilapia in South and Central America, along with countries like Ecuador, Honduras, and Costa Rica. But aquaculture in Guyana is still in the development stage, and the NAAG is looking for assistance in moving it to the next level. The ISTA is a good place for making the right connections. NAAG representatives at the ISTA had a successful meeting with the Director General of an aquaculture company that currently works with 35 countries throughout the world. The director was excited by Guyana’s potential and agreed to further research what the company could do to assist in developing the sector. During separate talks with the President of the World Aquaculture Society, Mr. Geer also received a formal invitation to submit a paper that he could possibly present an upcoming conference. The conference is the largest aquaculture meeting in the world. Four thousand attendees come from 70 different countries. It’s small steps such as this that will slowly but surely put Guyana on the aquaculture map.
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