The Deputy Permanent Secretary (Technical) at the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters recently launched the Letter of Agreement (LoA) for the implementation of the Sardinella and Bonga Fisheries Management Plan in The Gambia.
The event was held at the Ministry’s conference hall along Marina Parade in Banjul.
In her launching speech, DPS Manneh said the ceremony is not merely a launch, but a move to operationalize a scientifically grounded, socially inclusive and ecosystem-based roadmap designed to secure the future of The Gambia’s small pelagic fisheries.
According to DPS Manneh, the Management Plan addresses a critical technical gap that has historically hindered regulatory oversight — data deficiency.
“Through Axis 1 of the EAF-Nansen Phase II National Project, we are systematically upgrading our data collection framework. This includes the intensive monitoring of biological size frequencies, exact catch-and-effort tracking and rigorous mandatory reporting from all operating factories,” DPS Manneh explained.
She added that the plan’s focus on compliance, Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) is equally important, noting that the framework introduces stringent technical compliance measures, including standardized mesh-size restrictions, zoning boundaries to protect artisanal fishers from industrial incursions, and reinforced inspection protocols at landing sites.
“This Management Plan is our contract with future generations of Gambians. It guarantees that our waters will remain productive, our tables will remain nourished, and our economy will remain resilient. Let us work together to implement it fully, transparently and courageously,” DPS Manneh concluded.
The Director of Fisheries, Momodou Bailo Sidibeh, said through the Letter of Agreement they can move from planning to implementation, working together to deliver practical measures that support sustainable fisheries and the people who depend on them.
Director Sidibeh highlighted that Sardinella and Bonga are vital to food and nutrition security, livelihoods, and the wider fisheries economy, stressing that they are among the most important small pelagic species in Gambian waters.
According to Sidibeh, fish stocks and fisheries do not always follow administrative or national boundaries, and therefore their management calls for cooperation, shared knowledge and coordinated action from stakeholders.
Project Coordinator for the Letter of Agreement (LoA), Dr. Saloum Jatta, also spoke at the ceremony. The occasion was chaired by Modou Lamin Jeng, Assistant Fisheries Officer at the Department of Fisheries.
