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last updated:

18th Apr 13

Managed by Chatham House
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Financed by DEFRA
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The Gambia

 Fishing contributes approximately 4% of Gambia’s GDP. Marine fisheries in Gambia are divided into two sub-sectors: the industrial sector, characterised by high capital investment, the use of industrial fishing vessels and modern on-shore fish processing facilities, and the low-cost, labour intensive artisanal sector, which uses traditional boats and less sophisticated fishing gears and techniques. The industrial sector provides employment to 1,500-2,000 people and the artisanal sector to 25,000-30,000 people.

Most of the industrial vessels are foreign-owned and access the fisheries via joint ventures or fishing agreements, and most do not land their catches in Gambia. Key partner countries are Greece, Spain, Italy, China, South Korea and the Netherlands.

Gambia’s marine waters are rich in terms of species abundance and diversity. The reason for this richness is the combination of the flow of nutrients from the River Gambia and the effect of the up-welling system in the northwest African region; this combination gives Gambia the status of one of the world’s richest fishing nations with many species of economic importance.

However, many voices have expressed concerns recently about the health of some fish stocks, particularly those in the high-value chain. The government attributes this decline to a combination of factors including over-fishing, the inappropriate use of fishing methods that put the lives of juvenile fish at risk of extermination and even extinction, poaching and illegal fishing in territorial waters by unscrupulous fishermen and unlicensed vessels.

Gambia introduced a new Fisheries Bill in 2007, the main aim of which was to bring laws and policies in line with the UN Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. The Bill included measures on conservation, management and development, including, for example, measures to deal with illegal encroachment by foreign vessels, and the level of fines to be levied against those engaged in the illegal export of fish and fish products. Key to the success of these measures will be Gambia’s ability and willingness to work together with other West African countries on issues such as monitoring, control and surveillance.

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::events (1)
::news (14)
::presentations (1)
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::events



Conference of African Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture
20/09/2010
The African Union will be hosting its first-ever Conference of African Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Gambia from 20-23 September 2010.
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::news



23/03/2011
GOVT. READY TO FIGHT LITTLE-KNOWN CRIME THAT ROBS GAMBIA OF BILLIONS
Author: Today Newspaper
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09/03/2011
Stakeholders In The Fisheries Sector Brainstorm on Solutions
Author: Foroyaa Online
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07/02/2011
African member states call for the implementation of agreement on port rules for fishing vessels
Author: EuropAfrica.net
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14/12/2010
Regional fisheries stakeholders urged to close ranks
Author: Mam Ndegene Secka, Today
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19/10/2010
How pirate fishing fuels human exodus from Africa to Europe
Author: The Ecologist
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30/03/2010
Sub-regional cooperation needed for sustainable fisheries resources
Author: Today Online, Gambia
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30/08/2009
Editorial: Time for more robust measures to protect our fish and marine resources
Author: Cocorioko, Sierra Leone
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02/09/2008
Who is scooping up our fish?
Author: Graphic Online, Ghana
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29/07/2008
Guinea-Bissau: Fishermen turn to trafficking as fish profits drop
Author: IRIN, Africa
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23/07/2008
New fishing trawler commissioned
Author: Gambia News Community
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17/06/2008
Fish and timber in West Africa need more sustainable EU policies say MEPs
Author: European Parliament
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30/11/2007
Developing world fisheries spell growth for MSC eco-label drive
Author: Fishupdate.com
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19/09/2007
Gambia: minority leader calls for stringent measures against foreign fishing vessels
Author: allAfrica.com
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06/09/2007
As Fisheries Bill gets amended, D500,000 for illegal fish export
Author: Daily Observer, The Gambia
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::presentations



Partnership West Africa on Fisheries and IUU Fishing
21/11/2006

Author:
Leo Hagedoorn
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