Africa-Press – Gambia. The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Artisanal Fishing Association of The Gambia, Omar Gaye, has warned unscrupulous fishermen against the use of fishing vessels for ferrying irregular migrants to the EU.
Gaye said the lure of money has seen most fishermen venture into irregular migration business despite their lack of knowledge of the highseas, warning them to be wary of irregular migration.
“It is risky to venture into something that you have no idea about. This usually leads to boats capsizing, people losing their lives while others collect money from people without taking them to Europe. This can aggravate the rate of violent crime in the country as some youth react violently to failed Backway voyages,” he told in an interview.
He pointed out that unscrupulous fishermen continue to exploit the desperation of the youth, adding that the period between May and June are boom time for irregular migration in The Gambia.
The Artisanal Fishing Association mouthpiece maintained that even women and children are now resorting to the Backway, lamenting that many lives continue to be lost as a result.
He called for concerted effort for the robust policing of the country’s territorial waters and shorelines as, according to him, the Gambia Immigration Department (GID) cannot single-handedly do this.
“The immigration officers might get the tip-off but reaching some parts of the sea might be a problem. So,they have to collaborate with the Navy to bolster their efforts. Most of these Backway boats are usually anchored deep in the sea while a small boat is beingused to transport the migrants to them. They need to have all the required resources for surveillance and proper monitoring,” stated Gaye. He added: “Sometimes, it is very difficult to know where the boats are coming from because most of them operate in secrecy.”
He, therefore, called for a concerted effort to regulate the issue, saying the regulation of irregular migration transcends individual effort.
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