Fish mongers, locally called 'Banabana', and smoked fish vendors in the coastal fishing village of Sanyang have shared their concerns regarding the present state of their trade. Speaking to this reporter at the beach, on Saturday 4th September, Bakary Jatta, said to be the deputy chairman of the Sanyang Banabana Association, told this reporter that they don't have enough fish to sell during the rainy season period. He said this is the reason why consumers are now complaining that fish sold in the markets is expensive.

Jatta explained that the prices of the fish they sell ranges from D5 to D50, depending on the size. He said they have cooler to preserve the fresh fish they cannot finish selling in the market and that they buy ice blocks which can cost up to D300, depending on the size of one's cooling container.

On some of the constraints they encounter as fish mongers, Mr. Jatta said "We the 'Banabana' do not have enough money to purchase sufficient fish from the fishermen who go out at sea. We need assistance to access loan facilities that would enable us buy fish from the boats at the landing sites in order to supply enough fish to the markets."

On the costs they incur, Jatta explained that apart from their expenses on transportation and preservation of the fish, they are required to pay to the Brikama Market management a sum of D15 as daily duty and also D300 as annual operational license.

The deputy chairman of the Sanyang Banabana Association told this reporter that most of their members are Gambians. He also took the opportunity to call for support to enable more young people to venture into the trade.

On whether the demand for fish is high during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, he responded in the positive.

Mr. Jatta concluded that most of the fish that lands in Sanyang is exported to the neighbouring country of Senegal.

Also speaking to this reporter at the same place, Alieu Krubally, a fish smoker, said they buy the fresh fish that they smoke from fishermen in Sanyang. He added that fish is more expensive in Sanyang than any other fishing centre in the Gambia.

Mr. Krubally explained that they have vendors who would come and collect the smoked fish from them on credit basis and later pay after selling the smoked fish.

He said one of the constraints they are facing now in their work is the scarcity of firewood as we are in the rainy season.

He reveals that most of the people in the fish smoking trade are men and that the majority of them are Gambians. Speaking on the economic dynamics of the trade, he noted that they have low sales when fish is in abundance in the market.

Mr. Krubally said most of the smoked fish they process are sold at the weekly 'Lumoo' markets around the country.

He observed that the smoked fish does not have outside markets and they called on the government to help them to have access to their products in the international market.

He explained that the process of smoking the fish normally takes 5 days after which the vendors would come to collect the product for the markets.

The fish smoker also said that they too need loans to enable them to buy fresh fish from source and to get themselves better organized in their processing and production methods.

He identified the other constraints they encounter as electricity and water supply in addition to the scarcity of fire wood.