What is even disheartening is that most of the criminal syndicates engaged in this act, denied these countries of their hard earned money that could have been used to fund live-changing projects.
Studies have revealed that in West Africa, where about 7 million people depend directly on fishing as a source of income, this access is increasingly hindered by industrial fleets which, often illegally, target areas that are otherwise reserved for small-scale fishers and their communities. This alone clearly illustrates the serious and problematic nature this issue has presented to communities and nations.
Estimates show that over 300,000 jobs were lost to illegal fishing in the region, which resulted in increased hardships on coastal communities.
In our Thursday’s edition, we published an article in which the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters of The Gambia in collaboration with The Gambia Maritime Administration is about to start registering all canoes operating in the country.
The move is unique, as it is the first time the ministry is embarking on such an important initiative. It is better late than never and we commend the Ministry for the bold move.
However, the move, according to officials, is to ensure that the authorities have accurate data of all the canoes operating in Gambian waters, which is also in line with the 2012 Fisheries Act.
It is a fact that the fisheries sector contributes significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in many developing countries. Therefore, putting in place measures to ensure orderly and accurate management of fleets on our waters, cannot be overemphasized.
With numerous challenges encountered by these local canoe owners, there is hope that such challenges will soon be a thing of the past when this initiative is fully implemented in the country.
Authorities need to know the number of canoes in the country. This will not only help in making sure, it’s get records of all activities on our waters, but it will also help in making important decisions based on data.
This sector, if tapped properly, could harness and deliver development initiatives by contributing to the overall development. Communities could also exploit the existing potentials while providing food for the populace. But this is not attainable unless the country takes a proactive stance to safeguard these marine resources.
Illegal fishing takes different forms, but large-scale industrial operators do the most damage to ecosystems and the environment.
To this end, we call on coastal communities, especially canoe owners to comply and participate in the exercise. They should also report any illegal activities on the country’s waters to the authorities for immediate action.
Certainly, to achieve a sustainable fishing sector, The Gambia like most of her neighbours, must manage the growth and depletion of fish stock, enforce safety and operational rules and delineate areas for fishing.
Together we can protect and exploit the country’s vast marine resources.