The Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources has intensified a nationwide campaign against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, arresting sellers and seizing banned nets across the country.
The operation is led by Momodou Cham, head of the Fisheries Department's extension unit. Cham revealed that his team has seized several banned nets in recent raids.
In Basse, one shopkeeper was arrested and handed to police for selling illegal fishing gear. In Greater Banjul, two Chinese nationals and one Ghanaian were also arrested for the same offence, Cham said.
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Officials said all suspects were charged under Section 63 of the Fisheries Act 2007. Nets with mesh size less than 40 millimeters are prohibited. Anything above that limit is legal for fishing in Gambian waters.
Cham urged the public to report anyone selling undersized nets or engaging in illegal fishing. "People who are involved in IUU fishing ignore quotas, seasons, and size limits," he said.
Fisheries experts warn that illegal fishing leads to overfishing, where fish are caught faster than they can reproduce, causing stocks to collapse. "It also threatens food security and reduces fish availability, making food more expensive and scarcer," experts said.
Joint surveillance
During a recent tour of fish landing sites, Fisheries Permanent Secretary Buba Sanyang told fishermen the ministry is setting up a joint participatory surveillance team with all stakeholders.
"Anyone caught would face the full force of the law," Sanyang said.
The Gambia government says it is "working hard to combat this menace" to protect the fishing industry.
