Monrovia – The Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority(NaFAA), Madam Emma Metieh Glassco has disclosed that the government will this Saturday August 14 distribute the thread fishing nets free of charge to fishermen across Grand Bassa County in exchange for their rubber nets.
According to a NaFAA press release which quotes Director General Glassco the free nets distribution exercise will begin in the Port City of Buchanan and will affect paddling canoe or Kru canoe fishermen operating in Grand Bassa County.
Fishing Communities within and around Buchanan city that would benefit from the free nets distribution the NaFAA press release noted, include Small Kru Town, New- Cess, Bleewin, Nimely Town and Newton Beach. The Director General indicated that NaFAA’s technical team will later announce the schedule for distribution in other fishing communities across Grand Bassa County.
Madam Glassco reiterated that the threat nets distribution is intended to help improve the marine environment which is under serious threat due to the usage of the rubber nets by fishermen, this she added according to scientific research has led to a huge sweep of juvenile marine species from the water to the sea shores.
The Liberian Fisheries Expert said the Grand Bassa nets distribution will bring together fishing chiefs, fishermen and fish- mongers from all landing sites across the county and would be graced by Superintendent Janjay Baikpeh and other officials.
NaFAA is advising fishermen to remove all their leads, ropes and floaters from their rubber nets before turning it over to NaFAA teams during the net exchange exercise.
It can be recalled earlier this year, the Government of Liberia with support from the World Bank fisheries project brought into Monrovia a huge consignment of internationally recommended multifilament or thread fishing nets for free nets exchange in fishing communities across the Liberian coastal waters.