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toubab1020
12238 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Oct 2019 : 17:53:39
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The policy to deal actively with illegal fishing in Gambian waters by commercial trwlers is working,maybe Gambians will be able to eat their own fish bought from local fishermen at PROPER prices.
"To date, the unique partnerships have resulted in the arrest of 36 vessels for illegal fishing and other fisheries crimes."
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By Ebrima Jallow October 4, 2019
The Gambian Department of Fisheries and The Gambia Navy operating on board the Sea Shepherd vessel Sam Simon have arrested a trawler for fishing in an area reserved for artisanal fishermen.
The fishing vessel NiamNiokho was arrested for several counts of fishing within The Gambia’s nine-nautical mile Special Management Area in less than a month.
The incursions were confirmed both by the vessels’ own fishing log book as well as the fisheries observer’s fishing log.
The NiamNiokho is presently detained in the Gambian Port of Banjul.
The joint operation has already seen the arrest of three industrial trawlers for a number of fisheries offenses.
Dr Bamba Banja, a permanent secretary at the fisheries and water and resources ministry, said it is because of incursions like this that The Gambia has to police its waters to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing.
“As a government, we are handicapped.
We are assisting the navy to get a boat to better patrol these areas. Capacity is a constraint,” Banja said.
The waters of The Gambia are particularly rich in biodiversity, as the country is positioned where the nutrient-rich Gambia River meets the Canary Current.
The livelihoods of over 200,000 Gambians are directly or indirectly dependent on local fisheries while the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that more than 46 percent of the assessed fish populations in the Eastern Central Atlantic are being over-fished.
Sardinella and other small pelagic species are of critical importance to Gambians which is why the Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources instituted a nine-nautical mile Special Management Area to conserve waters frequented by artisanal fishermen.
However, industrial trawlers routinely come close to the shoreline with artisanal fishermen making daily complaints to the Ministry, asking for compensation for nets lost to industrial trawlers running them over.
Populations of sardinella are also rapidly declining due to these daily incursions.
Sea Shepherd’s partnership with The Gambia marks the seventh African coastal State to join a growing effort to stop illegal fishing around the African continent through joint at-sea patrols.
Since 2016, Sea Shepherd has been working in partnership with the governments of Gabon, Liberia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tanzania, Benin and Namibia to combat IUU fishing by providing the use of civilian offshore patrol vessels to African coastal states so that authorities can enforce fisheries regulations and conservation laws in their sovereign waters.
To date, the unique partnerships have resulted in the arrest of 36 vessels for illegal fishing and other fisheries crimes.
https://standard.gm/gambia-arrests-fourth-trawler/
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12238 Posts |
Posted - 12 Nov 2020 : 13:23:45
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https://foroyaa.net/gambia-navy-intercepts-six-foreign-vessels-for-illegal-fishing/
By Mustapha Jallow on November 11, 2020
Gambian authorities have intercepted six (6) foreign vessels found fishing in a prohibited area in Gambia’s territorial waters, a military report said Wednesday.
“The Gambia Navy from the month of October to November 2020 has made significant gains against illegal fishing as six major arrests have been executed during different patrols within the country’s waters,” the report revealed.
The report disclosed that the Gambia Navy continued to survey the coast and fisheries protection zones.
It further said since the Government of the Gambia issued COVID-19 regulations, which includes the closure of the country’s borders, sea, air and land in a bid to curtail the spread of the viral disease, the Gambia Navy intensified patrols and surveillance along the country’s waters.
“The Navy on two separate incidents, on the 6th and 29th October 2020, carried out arrests on two different vessels for fishing in a prohibited zone. The vessels were SUPER FLY 1 and BETTY (DAK 709),” the report stated.
The report continued to state that in a similar activity on November 4th 2020, the Gambia Navy in collaboration with the Fisheries Department and Sea Shepherd conducted Joint Coastal Surveillance and Fisheries protection during which four arrests were executed for fishing in prohibited zone.
“The vessels were three Chinese fishing vessels, marked: F/V GORDE 105, F/V GORDE 106, and F/V GORDE 107. On 07 November 2020, the boarding team on board the Sea Shepherd arrested F/V FINSI WANG for being in possession of wrong fishing gear,” the report stated.
During the period under review, the report disclosed that six fishing vessels were intercepted. Of these, two were owned by a Gambian and Senegalese respectively, while the remaining four were owned by Chinese nationals.
“They are all currently berthed at the fisheries jetty, under armed guards. The Gambia Navy will continue to collaborate with relevant agencies in a bid to protect the country’s territorial waters as mandated by the constitution,” the report indicated.
Meanwhile, a source familiar with the matter, explained that the four vessels (GORDE) were owned by a Chinese business investment, but changed their vessels’ flags to Gambian flag.
The source added that Superfly, which was carrying a Gambian flag, is also owned by Chinese nationals.
“These five vessels were intercepted for fishing in wrong zone, fishing without an observer, fishing logbook and using wrong fishing gear. The GORDES are all Chinese flag vessels,’’ the source added.
Betty vessel, the source said, is owned by a Senegalese national, which was also found fishing in a wrong zone.
The source also stated that the arrests were made separately by personnel of the Gambia Navy, officers at the Department of Fisheries and Sea Shepherd personnel.
Nonetheless, this is not the first time the Gambia Navy intercepted vessels for illegally fishing in the country’s waters.
The Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, James Gomez told lawmakers in Banjul in July that since 2018, thirty-two (32) fishing vessels were intercepted for violating their licensing conditions.
“From 2018 to date a total of 32 arrests were made involving 21 Gambian registered vessels, two (2) Senegalese, six (6) Chinese and three (3) Turkish vessels respectively,” the minister told lawmakers. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12238 Posts |
Posted - 23 Nov 2020 : 11:37:49
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https://foroyaa.net/six-vessels-intercepted-for-illegal-fishing-to-decide-their-settlements/
By Mustapha Jallow on November 22, 2020
Six foreign vessels that were intercepted recently after found illegally fishing on Gambia’s territorial waters will each be served with a notification letter, asking them to indicate whether they want their matter be settled in court or out of court.
This information was made available to Foroyaa by Omar Gibba, the acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Fisheries on Thursday.
Mr. Gibba said the individuals’ crew will chose, once the letter is sent to them, whether to settle out of court or face the court.
“I’m heading to Director’s office to discuss over the matter to ensure a notification letter is prepared and send it to them (vessels owners) as whether to settle it out of court or go to court,’’ he said.
Gibba declined to make further comments on the matter, saying they are yet to come to any conclusion. But he said he can confirm that the vessels are still berthed at the Fisheries Jetty under the guard of the army.
Why out-of-court settlement?
The Gambia fishing law clearly states that any vessel found illegally fishing on the country’s waters should pay a minimum fine of five million dalasi. This law was pronounced under the regime of former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh.
But some officials of the current President Adama Barrow-led government think that law is unreasonable. James Gomez, minister and Bamba Banja, permanent secretary (now on administrative leave), both at the ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources think the law “does not make sense” and will “kill the industry.”
Meanwhile, it could be recalled that six foreign vessels were arrested after found illegal fishing on Gambia’s waters.
“The Gambia Navy from the month of October to November 2020 has made significant gains against illegal fishing as six major arrests have been executed during different patrols within the country’s waters,” a military report revealed.
The report disclosed that the Gambia Navy continued to survey the coast and fisheries protection zones.
It further said since the Government of the Gambia issued COVID-19 regulations, which includes the closure of the country’s borders, sea, air and land in a bid to curtail the spread of the viral disease, the Gambia Navy intensified patrols and surveillance along the country’s waters.
“The Navy on two separate incidents, on the 6th and 29th October 2020, carried out arrests on two different vessels for fishing in a prohibited zone. The vessels were SUPER FLY 1 and BETTY (DAK 709),” the report stated.
The report continued to state that in a similar activity on November 4th 2020, the Gambia Navy in collaboration with the Fisheries Department and Sea Shepherd conducted Joint Coastal Surveillance and Fisheries protection during which four arrests were executed for fishing in prohibited zone.
“The vessels were three Chinese fishing vessels, marked: F/V GORDE 105, F/V GORDE 106, and F/V GORDE 107. On 07 November 2020, the boarding team on board the Sea Shepherd arrested F/V FINSI WANG for being in possession of wrong fishing gear.”
“They are all currently berthed at the fisheries jetty, under armed guards. The Gambia Navy will continue to collaborate with relevant agencies in a bid to protect the country’s territorial waters as mandated by the constitution,” the report indicated.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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another trawler arrested for illegally fishing.
