$2m co-operative project will help fishermen in Guam

Fishermen in Guam will benefit from new $2m facilities developed by the Fishermen’s Co-operative Association with the aim of increasing tourism related services and fishing vessel capacity.

A US unincorporated and organised territory in the Micronesian islands of the western Pacfic, Guam is home to a strategic naval base. Its economy is dependant on US military spending and tourism revenue.

According to a release from the governor’s office, the project will be completed within a year and a half. The new building will include a lab for scientists to study the island’s fish.

“The start of this project has been long-awaited,” said governor Eddie Calvo in the release. “We are excited that our island’s fishermen will finally have the facility they need. With the new Fishermen’s Co-op, we not only look forward to a thriving local fishing industry, we look forward to it becoming a part of a growing economic centre in our capital.”

As part of the project, a 220-feet seawall will be built to give large vessels, particularly those active in the tourism industry, the ability to dock. The second phase of the initiative will be developing a new building for the co-operative. The funding for the two constructions comes from Hotel Occupancy Tax bond money.

In an interview with Guam Pacific Daily News, president Manny Duenas said the co-op was committed to helping the island’s tourism industry. The co-op welcomes around 300-400 tourists a day while the island has around 1,200 visitors every day.

Mr Duenas thinks the new facilities are likely to increase the number of visitors. The building would also have a second storey, which will be used as a learning centre for workshops, for which the co-op is hoping to secure private financing.