Sierra Leone: Illegal fishing is pushing fishermen out of work, according to Hadijatou Jallow from the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem Project – an organisation assisting countries adjacent to the Guinea Current Ecosystem to achieve environmental sustainability.
Sierra Leone, which is also a member of the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem (GCLME), is experiencing fishing problems as a result of over-fishing, pollution and illegal fishing.
Information sourced from the Interim Guinea Current Commission indicates that the "incursion of trawlers into the Inshore Exclusive Zone" have had a major impact on the exploitation of fisheries resources.
Jallow said polluted water from dumping sites drain directly into the rivers and these have an impact on the fishing sector. He explained that pollution from industries, such as oil, paint, beer brewing and other manufacturing industries, such as clothing were contributing heavily to water pollution that are discharged directly into the estuaries.
The country, however, feels that fishery protection is constrained by poor funding. NGOs operating in the country are also taking part in the management of the marine coastal areas with the help of local communities.
The government has also been taking some bold steps in arresting the problem of illegal fishing in recent years. For example, last year about 800 pieces of illegal fishing equipment was confiscated and burnt although the action meant that the supply of table fish was reduced.
Within the sector the country is getting funding from the European Union and the African Development Bank (ADB) to help in the management of fisheries resources for a sustainable development.
An estimated 400,000 people in Sierra Leone are employed in the sector either directly or indirectly with about 142,000 tonnes of fish caught annually from both artisanal and industrial fishing ventures.
The Mozambican Minister of Fisheries, Gabriel Muthisse, has similarly told reporters that government would crack down on illegal fishermen.
The Southern Africa development Community (SADC) to which Mozambique belongs is facing serious challenges in dealing with illegal fishing. SADC countries such as Namibia, South Africa, Angola, Tanzania and Angola are improving on surveillance schemes and working in cooperation to patrol the coasts.
Mozambique estimates that approximately US$35 million is lost annually to illegal fishing activities in its waters.
Raphael Mweninguwe
