By Yunus S Saliu
The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, on Thursday, 14th November embarked on a sensitization exercise on expanding the Oyster Management Plan in the North Bank Region.
The exercise sponsored, by the EU Sector Support Program was meant to develop a management plan for communities involved in oyster farming and harvesting in the North Bank Region (NBR).
The sensitization on the management plan for the expansion of the Oyster Management Plan was held in different communities, across the region and encouraged them to raise their concerns and challenges.
Names of the oyster farming and harvesting communities participated in this sensitization exercise in NBR included Barra, Essau, Madina Kanuma, Mbankam, Bakindiki Koto, Lewna, Ginak Kajate, Ginak Nijjie, Santangkoto, Toubakolong, Mbantang Kiling, Albreda, Sika Mbanta Sami Tenda, Memmeh, Bafuloto,Karantaba, Bakang, Tambana and Darsilameh.
However, this exercise intended would propagate sustainable oyster harvesting practices into areas beyond the present coverage of the Tanbi Wetland Reserve, to make the oyster management plan a national one.
More so, the focus of this effort rests on engaging with and catering to the needs of communities situated in the North Bank Region, thereby fostering enhanced environmental stewardship, biological sustainability, and socio-economic upliftment.
So far at the gatherings, the Department of Fisheries engaged the stakeholders to identify and prioritize management measures for oyster harvesting in the North Bank Region.
Mr. Babanding Kanyi, the head of the Inspectorate unit at the Department of Fisheries, emphasized that the Oyster Management Plan replication in the North Bank Region represents a crucial step towards ensuring the sustainable management of oyster resources and promoting socio-economic development in coastal communities.
He noted that through participatory engagement and collaborative efforts, the department will be able to develop effective governance mechanisms and conservation strategies that will uphold the principles of environmental sustainability and community resilience.
For the past years, the government of The Gambia has been working hard to ensure that the oyster sector in the Gambia is improved.
All the communities have welcomed the introduction of the management plan in their respective communities.
