What is bonga and how is it processed for export in The Gambia?

In The Gambia, bonga refers to a type of fish, specifically the shad or West African herring.1

While the country’s small ocean coastline limits the scale of its marine industry, the government has taken steps to support the commercial fishing sector by providing small loans to local fishermen. These funds are intended for the purchase of motorized fishing boats and the construction of smoke huts, which are used to process the bonga for export to other western African states.1