She added that the workshop is to refocus and carry out in Sierra Leone advocacy themes relating to fishing, fish wholesaling and artisanal processing of fisheries products, which she added, will enable artisanal fisheries professional organizations to express their concerns to decision makers in a clear and structured way.

“It is the fifth time we are coming to Sierra Leone to develop its fishing-related activities,” Mbengue said.

She noted that in their first activities they chose fishermen leaders and fish processor leaders from Tombo, Conakry and York and trained them on five modules after choosing them as leaders in order to impart knowledge they need to improve on their activities.

Abdul Mamud Koroma is Secretary General Artisanal Fishermen Union. He commended WADAF for the training, noting that the workshop is basically to build their capacity as fishermen but most especially for the ones who don’t know much about fish smoking and fish processing.

He added that they have now learnt how and when to sell fish on the international market and also know how to fish in the good and bad sides of the water and most importantly they now know how to handle fish products.

“We are complementing the efforts of the Fish and Marine Resources sector because we are an organization that wants to sustain and promote fish and marine resources in Sierra Leone.