Gambian marine scholar bridges local and global knowledge to advance sustainable fishing practices
Original framing: “Gambian marine scholar joins global research to boost sustainable fishing” — bing news
The original framing omits the historical context of colonial-era fishing agreements that still shape current resource extraction in West Africa. It also neglects the role of indigenous fishing practices in maintaining marine biodiversity and the marginalization of local fishers in policy discussions.
High structural omission detected in mainstream coverage.
The narrative is produced by mainstream media outlets for a global audience, reinforcing the idea that local knowledge is only valuable when validated by Western science. This framing obscures the power dynamics in which foreign fishing interests dominate West African waters, while local voices are sidelined in decision-making. It also serves to legitimize international research institutions while underrepresenting the agency of Gambian scholars and communities.
The current push for sustainable fishing echoes historical patterns of resource extraction in West Africa, where colonial powers exploited marine resources with little regard for local ecosystems or communities. Understanding this history is key to addressing ongoing imbalances in marine governance.
The Gambian marine scholar’s work represents a critical convergence of local and global knowledge systems in the pursuit of sustainable fishing.