Gambian fishermen have been lamenting about the shortage of fish in the country as they accused foreign vessels of overfishing. 

Prices of fish have been skyrocketing in The Gambian markets, which is forcing locals to shift to imported chicken legs and wings amid high cost of living.

At Bakau sea shore which is one of highest producers of fish in Greater Banjul, fishermen fear if action is not taken against the foreign vessels that the country will face a serious acute of fish in few years to come.

Speaking to Gambiana, Ousman Saine, a fisherman, said the shortage of fish is due to the lack of control in the country’s waters which allows vessels and foreign boats to fish “excessively”. 

“If action is not taken by the government, in the next four or five years, the country will face serious shortage of fish,” he told Gambiana while mending his net ready to go back for fishing.

“The vessels are the problem because they have equipment to locate the fish which we don’t have and they also don’t care, they catch all type of fish and throw away the small ones,” Saine added.

“This is our only source of living and we have been acing enoumous challenges since the vessels start to fish in our waters. These vessels fish indiscriminately which is why there is no more many fish left in the waters,” Pap Jobe, also a fisherman told Gambiana.

Omar Bah added that the government should stop the vessels from fishing and take full control of the waters for Gambian fishermen.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba