The new Banjul Fisheries Jetty, financed at the tune of US$8.5M was Wednesday morning commissioned by the vice president and minister of Women's Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy.

Located at 'Wharfi Njagor', the new Jetty is among the sub-projects sponsored by the African Development Bank (ADB) and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). It was oordinated by the Gambia Artisanal Fisheries Development Project under the Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources.

The GPA is entrusted to manage, operate and maintain the facility on behalf of the Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources through a signed management contract between the two institutions.

In her inaugural statement, VP Njie-Saidy said the fisheries sector continues to occupy centre-stage in the Gambia government's development agenda due to the sector's indisputable contribution in promoting the health of the citizens through good nutrition as well as addressing poverty and unemployment in the country.

The vice president reaffirmed that the government is determined and highly committed to ensuring that all the major artisanal fish landing sites within the country are provided with the necessary infrastructure facilities, fishing and fish processing related equipment and means for fish distribution and marketing throughout the country.

"In this regard, it is gratifying that fish production is increasing while post-harvest losses are decreasing and high quality fresh and processed fish products are available for consumption at relatively affordable prices," she said.

She observed that the artisanal fisheries sub-sector, unlike the industrial one, continues to flourish. The VP however lamented that the industrial fisheries sub-sector has not lived up to expectations partly due to the inadequacies of the wherewithal to ensure successful operations. Another principal constraint to the development of the industrial fisheries sector, she pointed out, is the lack of national industrial fishing trawlers.

"The need for adequate national fishing trawlers to constitute a national fishing fleet for fishing that would enhance the availability of fish in The Gambia cannot be overemphasised," she added.

Noting that the major concern of the government in the fisheries sector is the conservation of fisheries stock, the vice present indicated that recent statistics revealed that the fish stocks continue to decline, particularly the high value demersals fish stocks.

This, she explained, is partly due to over-fishing, which is aggravated by the use of inappropriate fishing methods culminating in the extermination of juvenile fish, poaching as well as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the country's territorial waters. To this end, she called on players in the fisheries sector to continue strengthening the existing surveillance system and to apply robust strategies in addressing illegal, unregulated and unreported illegal fishing.

"All patriotic Gambians should also join the bandwagon in this endeavour. I call on the communities to be watchdogs and be vigilant in addressing the problems so that we can optimally and judiciously utilise this precious resource and also preserve it for future generations," she enjoined.

She used the occasion to thank the African Development Bank (ADB) and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) for providing the necessary funds. She also commended the contractors, consultants and the project implementation unit for the good job.

The Fisheries and Water Resources minister, Mass Axi Gye, for his part, said the growth and development of Gambia's fisheries is vital to the socio-economic development of the country. The successful completion of the Fisheries Jetty, he said, is an important milestone achievement of the government and his Ministry.

The minister also remarked that due to President Jammeh's personal intervention in the fisheries sector, many young people are today partaking in the sector. Mustapha Colley and Peter Ndow, the GPA board chairman and the Fisheries Jetty project coordinator, both observed that the project will serve as an avenue for job creation and food security.

The availability of the project, they said, is important to the attainment of government's medium to long term development objectives.

The duo thanked President Jammeh for his enormous support, from construction to the final process of the project.

The director of Fisheries, Nfamara Dampha, also observed that post-harvest losses is a critical challenges to the artisanal fisheries sector, but was quick to indicate that challenges in the industrial fisheries sector have been widely addressed.