In Guinea, the overexploitation of marine resources is becoming an increasing concern. The quantities of fish available in the local market are now insufficient compared to the ever-growing demand.
For stakeholders in the blue economy, new measures must be implemented to address this shortage, according to Inspector Dalama Touppou, head of the maritime police.
« Talking about sustainable and strategic development in fisheries also means ensuring the protection of resources and especially the ecosystem. Because if the resources are not protected, if the ecosystem is not preserved, we will not be able to find that essential product, fish, in the future. »
Guinea, known for its mining sector, is struggling to cope with the consequences of this activity. The sea and its resources are heavily impacted, says Alkaly Doumbouya, an expert in blue economy. « There are 17 mineral ports along Guinea’s 350 km of coastline. For each of these ports, we sometimes fill up to 50 hectares of mangroves. You can imagine the harmful consequences for fish reproduction. »
But beyond the environmental impact of mining resources, « it is the fishing equipment used and their inappropriate nets that are harming the resource, overexploited, » warns Dalama Touppou.
Today, biodiversity in Guinea is significantly weakened, and several approaches are being considered to protect the resource. Among these is the inclusion of local populations in biodiversity protection efforts and the expansion of national parks.
Source: afrique le 360
