By Modou Kanteh
Information Officer Ministry of Fisheries
The Department of Fisheries has kick-started a nine-day training for Fisheries Inspectors and Gambia Navy officers of the Port Inspection Procedures unit. The weeklong training commenced on Monday 26 February 2024 at the Ministries of Fisheries, Marina Parade, Banjul.
The main objective of the training is to strengthen the capacities of trainees for effective implementation of the FAO 2009 Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
Officially opening the training, the Director of Fisheries, Ma’am Anna Mbenga stated that The Gambia has been a signatory to the FAO 2009 PSMA since July 2016 and continues to benefit from it through training.
She noted that this training contributes to human capacity development for the implementation of Port State Measures while adding that through the framework of the agreement, the Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance unit of the Department of Fisheries together with a consultant from FAO developed nine Standard Operating Procedures accompanied with templates as guiding tools for the implementation of the 2009 FAO Agreement on Port State Measures.
The training will be intensive, and it is designed to enhance their skills with the view of selecting trainees to replicate the knowledge gained to colleagues who are not privileged to be part.
Ma’am Mbenga noted that the training has indicated key elements if understood, would greatly impact the performances of the trainees on port inspection.
The German government and partners were applauded for their support to the training by the director of the Department of Fisheries.
