Chief Ekwe bans illicit fishing in Besali

The Chief of Besali, Ekwe Tayem Robert has banned uncontrolled fishing and poisoning of waters to harvest fish in the rivers of Besali in Wabane Sub-division, Lebialem Division of the South West Region.

The Chief made this declaration following a discovery that the fish in rivers had decreased to the extent that only small fishes are left in the Besali rivers.

Since fish is a staple for the people of Wabane, the inhabitants of Besali found it hard to accept the ban, but based on a mutual agreement reached between the Chief and townfolks, they have admitted that they must indeed help restore the fishes who are nearly extinct in their rivers.

The chief's subjects have endorsed the initiative brought forward as they also believe that the cheapest and fastest way to restore fish in their rivers is to stop reckless fishing.

This ban on rampant fishing in intended to allow fingerlings to grow, mature and reproduce more fish for the people of Besali.

Besali village boarders the first and only protected area in the Lebialem Division - the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary.

The sanctuary harbours the critically endangered Cross River gorilla, and the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee among other spectacular wildlife and plant species.

The Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary was created following ERuDeF's close to ten years of working with her partners to see that the ecological value of this region recognized and protected.

ERuDeF has been providing sustainable livelihood donations, carrying out sensitization meetings with stakeholders and communities as well as continuous conservation education in schools, and research.