As the fishmeal industry continues to spark controversy, environmental campaigner Dawda F. Saine has okayed a possible shutdown of an industry that has ‘devastating impacts’ on people’s livelihoods.
“On the basis of the scientific research, that was conducted under the Framework Cooperation Agreement between FAO and SICA (the Central American Integration System), the fishmeal industry has provoked the scarcity of small pelagic and sardinella,” he told reporters shortly after the opening ceremony of the two-day information and Upgrading workshop of The Gambia National Advocacy Coalition on the issue of fish flour and fish oil manufacturing.
Up to 25 participants from fishing sector converged Monday to NaNa Conference hall located along Bertil Harding Highway to chart a way forward that will benefit to all organisations. “The stakeholders denounce the serious impacts of these fishmeal factories in terms of fishing overcapacity on already overexploited species, environmental nuisance, and pollution and the disruption of the of the artisanal fishing communities, population, civil society, partners and even the State,” the organizers of the workshop said in handout obtained by JolllofNews.
The West African Development Artisanal Fisheries (WADAF) local correspondent and a leading figure of the National Advocacy Coalition further stated that the small pelagic and the sardinella are the products that affordable for the majority of Gambians.
“When these fish’s are caught, f they are given to the fishmeal industry for the purpose to feed animals and aquaculture farms,” Saine said while denouncing this absurdity. “Where are our food security guarantees?” he quizzed.
According to FAO/SICA scientific report, he went on, the small pelagics are overexploited. He then deplored the fact that government has not shown any political will to tackle the overfishing.
The tiny West African nation has granted license to three fishmeal factories: Golden Lead in Gunjur, Import, Export Trade company located in Kartong while the Aquatic Products Limited is situated in Sanyang village.
“Numbers Are Not Looking Good”
In a presentation introduction,WADAF Executive Secretary Moussa Mbengue, took the gloves off and clearly stated that those who are supplying fishs to the fishmeal industry are not serving their country, describing their action as “unpatriotic.”
“There are numbers that are not looking good for us with regard to a good number of species,” he added.
Mbengue made it clear that the fishmeal industry is not serving our interests while indicating the urgent need to put a halt to this activity.
He decried the overexploitation of halieutic resources and called on major stakeholders to stand up against fishmeal factories.
For his part, Lamin Samateh of the National Environment Agency (NEA) emphasized fishmeal factories started operating in The Gambia in 2016.
He lifted a corner of the veil on the process leading to the setting up of fishmeal factories, nothing that investors have to pass through a rigorous way to get the greenlight of the country’s environmental body.
Samateh acknowledged the rarity of the resources that are being threatened by the fishmeal industry.
“People are trying to chase their dreams in Europe because there is no prospect in that sector anymore,” he deplored with a sad tone.
