By Samsideen Ceesay
Governance of marine and management of coastal resources dubbed ‘GO-Wamer’ has recently concluded sensitization for fishermen on fisheries Act of 2007 and regulation.
The training is designed to raise the awareness of the fishermen in fisheries act of 2007 and fisheries regulation 2008 as well as promote the best practices for appropriate usages of fishing nets by the fishermen in Gambian waters.
The sensitization was held at the Old Jeshwang, Tanjie and Sanyang fish landing sites respectively.
The GO-Wamer project is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP in six West African countries, namely The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Mauritania and Cape Verde.
Speaking to The Standard on the sidelines, the national expert, GO-Wamer project in the Gambia, Babanding Kanyi said “the projects has three main results; among them is the promotion of best practices and to ensure that we reduce the deadly impact of policies that are not incompatible to the development of marine and coastal resources”.
“The objective of the training is to promote the best practices as well as distribute fishing nets to fishermen that catch Bonga fish. Fishermen are using net sizes that are not appropriate to catch Bonga fish in our fish landing site. The correct net sizes for Bonga fish is 40mm square but fisherman in the Gambia are using 36mm to 32 mm square to catch fish. They are not incompliance to the fisheries Act 2007 and Regulation”.
Commenting further the Go-Wamer national expert revealed that the sensitization will enable fishermen to comply with the Fisheries Act and Regulation as well as help them to use appropriate fishing nets to catch fish.
Kanyi pointed out that the Go-Wamer project will phase out at the end of December “when we have extension or have another funding other fishermen will also benefit to replace their old fishing nets with appropriate fishing nets.”
Ebou Mass Mbye, principal fisheries officer, doubles as head of monitoring, control and surveillance of the fisheries sector, said his job is to ensure that legal fishing materials are employed in our waters.
