Amidst concern of a possible shortage of fish during an ongoing ban on fishing in Sierra Leone, the government has vowed to take stringent action against anyone found to be exporting fish.
The month-long ban which started on April 1 was designed to prevent a depletion of the country’s fish stock, according to the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.
A statement attributed to the country’s Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, on Tuesday singled out artisanal fishermen and fish sellers against exporting fish, noting that anyone found wanting would be deemed as sabotaging the nation.
During the so-called ‘close season’ period, which runs from April 1 to 30, no industrial vessel is allowed to fish in the country’s waters.
Local fishermen will be allowed to fish only to sell in the local market.
But there have been concerns that many of the locally generated fishes might find their way into neighboring countries, particularly Guinea where they are believed to fetch more money.
“We will not leave any stone untouched, and we are going to provide additional security personnel at outposts to effect the thirty-day period,” the Vice President said, according to a statement released by his communication office.
The government said it has also set up a monitoring task force that included the media, to monitor the close season initiative.
VP Jalloh, according to the statement, also warned market women, who often sell fish, against taking advantage of the season by increasing the prices of fish on the excuse of insufficient fish in the market.
Anyone caught in such an act, he said, would be dealt with accordingly.
The government said the close season is in line with President Julius Maada Bio’s ‘new direction’ strategy of diversifying the national economy.
The fisheries sector, explained VP Jalloh, is one key area they have identified to generate revenue to support the government’s social programmes such as health, water and infrastructure.
The Vice President also used the opportunity to announce plans by the government to provide solar light panels to fishing communities.
This, he said, is intended to ensure that artisanal fishermen transact business in a transparent environment at all time of the day.
Emma Kowa-Jalloh, Minister of Fishery and Marine Resources, said prohibiting industrial trawlers from fishing for one month is a great loss of revenue to the government, but that the welfare and growth of Sierra Leoneans is a priority.
KC/as/APA