Speaker Introduction and Background

• Lamin Jassey: trained teacher, community leader, coastal/marine environment activist
• Native of Gunjur: biggest fishing village in Gambia, West Africa
• Population: estimated 25,000 inhabitants
• Most residents connected to fishing industry

Fish Meal Factory Establishment and Broken Promises (2016)

• Factory started operations at Gunjur fish landing site in 2016
• Initial community expectations: improvements to local life
• Promised benefits by factory management:
  • 600 good jobs
  • Construction of main road linking village to fish landing site
  • Building fish market for community
• Reality: all promises unfulfilled to present day
• Conclusion: factory untrustworthy, information false

Immediate Impact on Fish Supply (2017)

• After one year: dramatic change in fish supply
• Fewer and fewer fish available
• Unusual shortage of fish directly linked to factory operations
• Factory uses fresh, small pelagic fish as main raw material
• Same fish species: main protein intake and livelihood source for Gambians
• Cheapest fish affordable for daily family consumption
• Foundation of local economy

Economic and Social Disruption

• Factory finances majority of fishermen
• Fishermen's catches go straight to factory
• Women left with only leftover fish to process and sell
• Women losing livelihoods and jobs in fish processing
• Youth losing hope (dependent on tourism)
• Unbearable factory smell killed tourism in area
• Youth unemployment increased
• Crime rate accelerated
• Poverty affecting once thriving community
• Drug and substance abuse increasing

Youth Migration Crisis

• Youth searching for new opportunities
• Hundreds/thousands of youth perished in Atlantic Ocean attempting to reach Europe
• Thousands more youth: whereabouts unknown
• Families still mourning loved ones

Environmental Pollution and Community Action (2018)

• Factory disposing industrial waste into ocean
• Waste disposal at exact area where boats land
• Jassey engaged factory management
• Ultimatum given: one week to remove waste pipes
• Factory failed to comply
• Community action: hundreds of people removed waste pipe
• Consequences: Jassey and 5 others arrested, detained at police station
• Court proceedings: 6 months duration
• Outcome: all acquitted and discharged

Continued Activism and Government Response

• Jassey continued educating fishermen, women processors, youth about factory impacts
• Engaged government officials to revisit decision and protect country's future
• Government signed 6-year fishing agreement with European Union
• Agreement allows bigger EU and Chinese fishing vessels in Gambian waters
• Result: fish becoming more scarce and expensive

Dietary and Health Consequences

• People's eating habits forced to change
• Shift to imported European chicken (cheaper than local fish)
• Health problems resulting from dietary changes
• Gambia's fragile healthcare system compromised
• Animal protein intake source compromised by fishing vessels and factories

Juvenile Fish Exploitation

• Recent years: fishermen catching juvenile fish unfit for human consumption
• All juvenile fish sent straight to factory
• Jassey contacted fishery staff responsible for enforcement
• Fisheries regulations prohibit catching juvenile fish
• Enforcement efforts: no results
• Fish meal export destinations: China, Europe, South America
• End use: salmon farms and other aquaculture farms

Current Initiatives and Future Vision

• Organization working with international organizations
• Building capacity of women processors and artisanal fishermen
• Data collection at three sites: Gunjur, Kartong, Sanyang fish landing sites
• Goal: inform decision makers and shape country's future
• Vision: bring fish back to waters
• Regional approach needed: Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania cooperation
• Collective action required to protect water and fish resources