Gambia urged to sign fisheries transparency deal
Stakeholders want a Memorandum of Understanding with the Fisheries Transparency Initiative to improve marine surveillance and data collection.
Fisheries stakeholders in The Gambia are calling on the government to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI). The appeal, made at a conference in Banjul on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, aims to enhance transparency in the country's seas and strengthen territorial water protection through better surveillance and data collection.
Dawda Foday Saine, Secretary General of the African Confederation of Professional Organizations of Artisanal Fisheries (COAPA), stated that joining FiTI would build trust among stakeholders and attract donor support. He explained that FiTI is a global partnership promoting sustainable fisheries through transparency and collaboration, helping national authorities improve access to fisheries management information.
The FiTI membership process requires a letter of intent, an MoU signing, and the formation of a Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) to advise the government. Godfred Ameyaw Asiedu, FiTI Regional Coordinator for Anglophone Africa, confirmed the organization supports coastal states in improving fisheries governance through transparency.
Why it mattersStakeholders are urging the government to sign an MoU with FiTI to improve transparency and attract donor support for the fisheries sector.