By Arret Jatta
Fishermen at the Tanji seashore are raising their voices against the disruptions caused by large trawlers in their fishing activities. They said the big boats not only interfere with their daily catch but also pose risks to safety.
Speaking to The Standard, Muhammed Gaye, a fisherman said the trawlers are affecting their daily catches because there are just too many of them operating in Gambian waters.
“A big trawler has once damaged my canoe and I had to leave my crew there to come ashore to organise rescue for them,” he said.
He added that when trawler owners fish in the sea, they separate the big fishes and throw back the tiny dead fishes which nobody can make use of and that is why there is scarcity of fish.
Ass Gaye, another fisherman, said they are facing lots of difficulties in the sea.
“We want the president to help us with these trawlers that are bigger than our canoes and sometimes collide with our boats in the sea and that can cause accidents which may even claim lives. There are just too many trawlers fishing in Gambian waters,” he lamented.
“These trawlers take their catches abroad while we bring ours home to the people especially the women who depend on us to sell fish and make a livelihood. So, government should help us”, he said.
Adama Sanneh, a fish seller, lamented scarcity of fish especially ever since government banned fishing at night, adding that trawlers are also causing a lot of problems for the fishermen.
“Before, the fish business was lucrative especially in the Jammeh era, but now, we barely make ends meet, and the fishes that are also available now are the tiny ones and some catfish that are left after the trawlers take all,” she added.
She also urged the authorities to do something about the trawlers that fish in the sea as they cause a lot of problems for them.
