By Binta Jaiteh
Dozens of fishermen in Tanjeh have complained of high cost of fueling their boats coupled with scarcity of fish for the past months which is affecting their livelihood and also their daily output.
Bemoaning their situation to this medium, Momodou Sarr, president of Tanjeh Fishing Centre highlighted some of their challenges while lamented reasons for fish being expensive.
According to him fish is expensive due to its scarcity this moment saying there are times when the sea supposed to be closed and when it is not close it therefore contributes to the scarcity.
He explained that fishermen have a boundary were they should stop when fishing in the ocean hence there is a standing contract signed and that make it impossible to go beyond saying this kind of issue has not been happening but now happening due to advancement of the world.
“Fish does not have a fixed price at this moment, despite being rich or poor fish is expensive to everyone despite we are all surviving on it,” he stated.
Expressing his view, he said women too are responsible for scarcity of fish taking to consideration their desire to sell to higher bargainers.
Ousman Njie said fish they are buying from boats have increased and everyone is deciding the selling price on his or her own pace.
He joined other fishermen to appeal to government and fishermen too to stay to their boundaries and avoid going to sea level where the fish supposed to mature.
He noted that Gambians and Senegalese depend on the river for fishing likewise other countries “so if fish declines totally it will affect everyone drastically both fishermen, sellers and consumers.”
He added that price of fuel is another problem “35 liters of fuel is D1700 gas stations has increased and everybody is selling at different prices.”
Seedy Chorr, Vice President of All Artisanal Fishermen Association said, in the raining season to later part of any season is the breeding and spanning period of fish and during the period fishes are tiny. And during the winter, dry and cold season is the time when fish will start to grow to bigger size.
Buttressing his fact, he said for the past twenty years to date they started experiencing non-abundance of fish due to climate change because in the early 80s up to 90s it was different.
He added that when demand is higher, then supplying price will become high while vendors too will increase the price in the market.
He lamented that, one of the measures the association is put in place to solve the scarcity of fish is by temporarily ban night fishing, regulation on fishing net size. While the fishing vessels have a point in the sea to stop called 9 nautical miles.