By Adama Makasuba

An unemployed man has explained why he used his wooden boat to ensure that bread is put on the table for his family of 41.

Momodou S Jallow goes fishing almost everyday using his traditional wooden boat.

He said being the first born of his family gives him the obligation to ensure that the three square meals are served despite having younger siblings.

After spending over a decade in Tanji fishing with the big wooden boats, Jallow decided to return to his home town of Bansang.

And as he’s now the breadwinner of his family, Momodou S Jallow endeavor in making sure his family don’t go to bed with empty stomach.

He is also responsible for paying the school fees of his own children as well as their lunch fees.

“I have no means of living other than fishing.

My family is 41 heads and I buy bag of rice every two weeks,” fisherman Jallow said.

On Saturday evening as the sun starts to vanish away and the clouds billowing, Jallow on his small wooden boat appears behind the mangroves trees, sailing towards the dock with no fish caught.

“This how fishing is, at times you are happy and sometimes you’re unhappy.

“Today was a bad day for me.”

After few minutes of rest on the river bank, Mr. Jallow sailed back for fishing at about 7.30pm, saying otherwise he wouldn’t have any money to give the family.

He said at times he makes about 1000 dalasi but that it’s not frequent.

Mr. Jallow said he fished tilapia and other fish.

Fishing is one of the lucrative businesses in The Gambia but the industry is facing a crisis due to over fishing and pollution by fish meal companies and foreign trawlers.

Gambian fishermen like Momodou Jallow are bearing the brunt of the depletion of the country’s fish stocks.