Mustapha urges public to ignore rumours as fish sales decline

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, has sought to reassure the public that fish sold across Guyana remains safe for consumption as vendors report a sharp decline in sales. The Guyana National Fisherfolk Organisation (GNFO) over the weekend urged the public not to be swayed by misinformation circulating on social media, warning that unfounded claims about the safety of locally caught fish are hurting thousands of people who depend on the fishing industry for their livelihoods. In a statement on Saturday, the organisation said there is no scientific evidence to support claims that fish sold in Guyana is unsafe to eat. “The Atlantic Ocean covers approximately 106 million square kilometres, and commercial fish are harvested from vast fishing grounds—not from one isolated location,” the GNFO said. “The fish commonly caught for food are not dependent on human remains as a food source, and there is no scientific basis for avoiding seafood.” Speaking with the News Room on Tuesday, Mustapha said there is no scientific evidence to suggest that fish available for consumption has been contaminated. “To date, there is no scientific evidence or advice from the relevant public health or fisheries authority indicating that fish available for consumption is being contaminated as a result of the MV Barima tragedy. “There is no evidence to show that, and there is nothing to suggest fish is being contaminated,” Mustapha told the News Room in an invited comment. Fish for sale at Bourda Market (Photo: News Room/August 04, 2026) While maintaining there is no cause for concern over seafood safety, Mustapha acknowledged that rumours circulating in the aftermath of the tragedy have begun affecting the livelihoods of fisherfolk. “Unfortunately, fear and misinformation can sometimes have unintended consequences. We have received reports from some fisherfolk that consumer demand has slowed in certain areas because of public apprehension,” he said. According to Mustapha, fisherfolk, especially those on the Essequibo Coast, have reported reduced sales because of the rumours. At Bourda Market, vendors said business has slowed significantly. Simone, who has been selling fish at the market for more than 30 years, described sales as “very bad.” “Since this rumour going around about fish eating people… that’s fake, and whoever doing it suppose to stop it because it affecting our business a lot,” Simone told the News Room. She said customers continue to question whether the fish is safe to eat and estimated that her sales have dropped by nearly 80 per cent. “As you can see, the market is very empty. We don’t have anybody buying. We only struggling,” Simone said. Mustapha explained that fish sold throughout Guyana’s supply chain continues to come from established fishing grounds and is harvested under the same standards and practices that have always governed the industry. “Fish normally comes from the usual fishing grounds. They are not caught everywhere. Fisherfolk have their own designated fishing grounds where they catch fish,” Mustapha explained. This was confirmed by another vendor, Kenneth, who told the News Room that most of the fish sold at the market is caught offshore in saltwater. “The kind of fish we sell comes from way out in the ocean- snapper, trout and those kinds of fish. We don’t get fish from close to shore. They go out far to catch fish. Only the little boats catching banga stay closer in, but that’s not freshwater. Our fish comes from the saltwater, so we’ve never had a problem with fish eating people,” Kenneth explained. Mustapha said the decline in demand is directly affecting families who rely on fishing for their daily income. He therefore urged the public to seek information only from credible sources rather than social media speculation. He added that the ministry, through its Fisheries Department, has been engaging fisherfolk and will continue monitoring the situation.