The Gambia’s Ministry of Fisheries in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Fisheries stakeholders yesterday validated the Fisheries and Aquaculture Strategic document 2016-2020 at a hotel in Bakau.
peaking at the event, Perpetua Katepa-Kalala, the FAO Country Representative stated that in The Gambia, the fisheries sector contributed to the national economy and livelihood of the population,
with the potential to make significant contribution to improved food security. She added that in all, the fisheries sector contributes 12% of the GDP.
She said that an estimated 200, 000 people are directly or indirectly dependent on artisanal fisheries and its related activities for their livelihoods. According to her, fish and fishery products are important ingredients of the diet in The Gambia with estimated catches of 53,000 tons in 2015 from the artisanal sub-sector.
The FAO Country Representative told the participants that the fisheries sector serves as an important source of income to over 820million people around the world, from production, processing, marketing and distribution.
The Fisheries sector offers a great opportunity for employment, economic benefits and is one of the major and cheapest sources of animal protein that contributes to improving dietary diversity and the nutritional status of the nation, she noted.
Madam Kalala went on to applaud The Gambia government for their recent ratification of the IUU port state measures that was passed in the country’s National Assembly.
The Gambia government, he remarked, recognises the need for a coherent strategy and associated action plan to address the challenges and to support informed decision making for policy, investments and programme in the fisheries sector.
For his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Water and Fisheries, Abdoulie T.B Jarra said that the fisheries and aquaculture sector is a priority area in the country’s
development agenda, noting that in the recent past, there had been formidable challenges confronting the sector.
He opined that one of the main reasons for the validation is to diagnose the problems and come up with policy recommendations and strategies to address them. Once the document is validated, the fisheries act and the regulations would further strengthen the sustainable use and management of marine resource.
PS Jarra said that the document is in line with the country’s development blueprint and indeed with His Excellency the President, Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya AJJ Jammeh, Babili Mansa’s clarion call for food self-sufficiency.
The document of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Strategies Action Plan, he said, would set out their Ministry’s vision for the future of the fisheries and aquaculture sector and would also lay out the government’s strategic policy priorities for development.
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