Sole Fishery Co-Management Planning Forum wraps up

The department of fishery through Ba-Nafaa fisheries project recently ended a one-day stakeholder’s forum on Sole Fisheries Co-Management Planning.

Held at the Atlantic Hotel in Banjul, the forum, which drew participants from various areas, was funded by WWF.

The meeting was held to review the sole co-management activities and co-management process on local knowledge and research.

Speaking at the forum, Nfamara Dampha, director of Fisheries Department, acknowledged the presence of Dr Kathy Castro and Mr Chris Parkins of the Coastal Resource Centre, University of Rhode Island.

He also used the occasion to recognize the presence of the representative of the Embassy of the United States of America, and Mr Ibrahima Mat Dia of the WWF country director.

Director Dampha said the University of Rhode Island and the WWF are the principal partners of the Gambia Government in the implementation of the Ba-Nafaa project.

He noted that the fishing industry, the fisheries NGOs and the representatives of fishing communities are the primary beneficiaries of the Ba-Nafaa project.

“It is important to inform this forum that the Government of the United States of America through the United States International Development Agency USAID provided grant funding amounting to 2.5 million US Dollars to implement the Ba-Nafaa fisheries project over a five-year period.” Mr Dampha said.

The implementation of the project is by a partnership between the University of Rhode Island, the WWF Africa programme and the Gambia Government represented by the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resource and National Assembly Matters and the fisheries department.

The fisherfolk of the coastal fishing communities and the fishing industry are also important members of the partnership.

He said that on behalf of the Government of The Gambia, the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resource and National Assembly Matters, and the Gambian people, he would like to extend his sincere appreciation and profound gratitude to the Government and people of the United States of America for funding the Ba-Nafaa fisheries project.

The objective of the Ba-Nafaa project is to support Gambia Government achieve its fisheries management and development objectives. Mr Dampha highlighted some of the past activities the project embarked on in the past.

The forum will outline the process that led to the development of a draft co-management plan for the sole fishery and will review and validate the co-management plan. 

“The final draft of the co-management plan will be submitted to Gambia government for final review and approval,” he said.

Mr Dampha offered special thanks to the University of Rhode Island and WWF for their partnership with the Gambia government, the fishing industry and the fisher-folk communities in the implementation of the Ba-Nafaa Project.

For his part, Dr Kate Castro, Rhodes University of US, thanked the participants for responding positively to forum.