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The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources on Thursday 5th November opened training for numerators who will be dispatched to the six Coastal Districts in the country to gather workshop data on artisanal fishing.
The 42 trainees will be required to source out from the artesanal or small scale fishermen the size and extent of their system.
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They will also be finding out the distribution of fishing economic unit that is the number of small boats used, the number of people who man them, their landing sites and the type of nets used.
The Director of Fisheries, Dr. Sesay told this press that the survey is more or less for the good of the individual fishermen.
"This training is mainly for rational planning of fisheries management for good governance", Dr. Sesay said.
Dr. Sesay disclosed that at the last count in 2003, it was found that there were a total of 8000 small boats in operation but at the end of the day the fishermen have nothing to show for it.
"These people have to be supervised not to self-destruct," Dr. Sesay said. "Fishing in itself is a business but these small scale fishermen do not plan their lives properly and end up being burdens to the state".
Dr. Sesay said that along side the surveys, artesenal fishermen will e educated on proper fishing methods. He said 75% of nets used by them are illegal and cause a lot of destruction.
The survey will last three weeks and the numerators will cover the Western Area, Port Loko, Kambia, Moyamba, Bonthe and Pujehun Districts. |
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