Materials worth FCFA 50 million were distributed during the Second Fish Festival in Bakassi.

Fishery activities in the Bakassi Peninsula will henceforth witness an upward swing thanks to materials and equipment offered to fishing communities in the zone on Saturday June 30, 2012. The Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries (MINEPIA) Dr. Taiga was in Akwa, headquarters of Kombo Abedimo Subdivision, for activities marking the Second
Edition of the Fish Festival in the maritime zone of Ndian Division.
The turn-out from all the fishing communities in Bakassi was impressive as the Minister, accompanied by the Governor of the South West Region and other officials had much to discover concerning Cameroon’s fishery potentials. While requesting that fishing should be done in a sustainable manner, the Minister announced that for the Second Fish Festival, the Ministry through the Fund for the Development of Maritime Fishing (CDPM) has made available equipment and materials for fishing, navigation and security worth FCFA 50 million. These include multifilament fishing nets, life jackets, coolers, anchor ropes, bags to transport fish, raincoats, floaters, sinkers, life buoys and hooks.
For the development of Bakassi and Ndian Division in particular, the Minister disclosed that MINEPIA has allocated more than FCFA One billion through the Public Investment Budget (PIB) for investment projects. These include the construction of cold stores and ice producing units equipped with generators; construction of improved and modern fish smoking ovens; capacity strengthening of fishing groups; construction and equipment of MINEPIA services.
More Investment
On government’s resolve to continue to develop the fishery and livestock sectors of the Ndian maritime zone, Dr. Taiga recalled that on May 12, 2012, equipment and materials worth FCFA 16 million were distributed in Akwa to some fishing groups to support and promote artisanal fishing in Bakassi. He urged the fishing communities to comply with the rules and
regulations governing fishery activities and environmental protection. The Fish Festival was an occasion for the Mayor of the Kombo Abedimo municipality Aboko Patrick Anki and the Divisional Delegate of MINEPIA Ndian Dr. Salle Francis Njume, to present a litany of problems plaguing their sectors such as lack of potable water and electricity, fuel credits, amongst others.
Different species of fresh and dry fish (Catfish, Mullet, Tilapia, Shine Nose, Groupa, etc) were exhibited and prizes awarded. Abeno Bernard got the First Prize in fresh fish exhibition with a cash award of FCFA 75.000. But as the festival closed doors, all the fishermen Cameroon Tribune talked to, had one wish. That the festival becomes an annual event. The First Fish Festival took place in Bekumu (Bamusso Subdivision) on April 15 - 17, 2010.