Fish prices have shot up dramatically due to supply shortage as Chinese involvement in industrial trawling continues to deplete The Gambia's fish stocks.

"There is not enough fish in the markets," said an insider at the Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources, who begged for anonymity.

According to him, the presence of Chinese vessels in Gambian waters is harming the country's fish stocks and livelihoods.

"We need urgent reforms to improve transparency and accountability in the sector," he said.

The insider suggested that the country should have a fisheries cooperation.

He argued: "We need a cooperation that would own most of the trawlers in our waters. The demand for fish is growing both locally and internationally and we should not allow the Chinese to destroy the industry and wipe out hundreds of jobs in the coastal area."

The insider continued: "The scarcity of fish in our markets might not end soon because most of the trawlers don't land in the country."