Fishermen in the coastal areas of Freetown are calling on government to take all necessary action to put a stop to illegal fishing taking place in Sierra Leone Waters that is affecting them as well as the country’s marine resources.
Ssierra Leone is recognised as one of the world’s richest fishing grounds, teeming with snapper, sardines, mackerel and shrimps. These sea products are daily carted away by illegal trawlers coming in to fish and escape without being caught.
For these communities living along the sea coast, fishing has been a way of life for centuries, but illegal fishing in recent years has decimated stocks forcing many to travel out to sea to catch enough to make a living.
Authorities and fishermen in the country are pointing fingers on foreign vessels, which typically catch fish in off-limits waters and launder their catches by offloading it onto refrigerated vessels, called reefers, at sea.
“We used to get a lot of fish, but the sound of motors from the big vessels have chased away the fish,” said one Togolese fisherman, Benoit Kodjo.
According to West African authorities, up to $1.5 billion worth of fish are taken by ships fishing illegally each year in West Africa.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said at least seven million people work in fishing and fish farming across West and Central Africa.
Fishermen complained that Foreign vessels often illegally approach the coast, damage the seabed and destroy the locals’ fishing gear, putting the livelihood of many at risk.
Although the governments have introduced several initiatives to curb illegal fishing; such as marine patrols, improved satellite technology for monitoring the waters, but challenges remain.
Analysts said if challenges in the sector are addressed, it would create jobs, boost revenue and incentives for young people to stay in the profession.
World Bank report states that over 30,000 Sierra Leoneans are in the fishing industry in Sierra Leone and the illegal fishing they say is not only affecting Sierra Leone but the sub-region as a whole.
The report also states that if Sierra Leone can curb the illegal fishing going on, the country would be able to make more money as they are losing over $30 million through illegal fishing annually.
Friday July 15, 2016
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