Gambia: Assembly Committee Warns Marine Protected Areas Face Illegal Fishing & Weak Oversight

What the report says

The Gambia’s National Assembly Select Committee on Environment, Sustainable Development and NGO Affairs has raised concerns over the state of the country’s coastal and marine protected areas, saying they are being weakened by illegal fishing, poor enforcement, limited funding and overlapping institutional responsibilities. The findings appear in a parliamentary performance audit report on the management of coastal and marine protected areas, dated September 2026 and reported by Foroyaa via AllAfrica.

According to the committee, 8 of the country’s 16 designated coastal and marine protected areas do not yet have approved management plans. It also said that even where plans exist, implementation is hampered by shortages of staff, equipment and operational funding. The report points to continued pressures from pollution, poaching and mangrove destruction, and says gaps in coordination between ministries responsible for environment, tourism, lands and agriculture have contributed to encroachment into protected zones.

The committee also questioned official claims that 9.25% of marine areas have been conserved toward the SDG 14.5 target, saying the figure was not backed by a clear scientific method or a standardized national reporting system. It further highlighted concerns about underused conservation financing, including the Biodiversity Trust Fund, as well as limited private-sector participation and accountability issues around donor funds.

The report urges stronger monitoring systems, clearer land-use policy, better ranger support and more community involvement. It argues that coastal and marine protected areas are important for biodiversity, food security, climate resilience and long-term economic development in The Gambia.