©FAO/Liberia

Monrovia- Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing remain one of the biggest threats to marine ecosystems due to its potent ability to undermine national and regional efforts to manage fisheries sustainably and efforts to conserve marine biodiversity. In this regard, the Government of Liberia represented by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) ended a weeklong workshop from 16-20 September 2019 in Monrovia. The workshop aimed to develop a National Strategy and Action Plan to regulate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing incompliance to the 2009 FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA).

The workshop was organized under Japanese funded project titled: “Support to implementation of the 2009 FAO Agreement on Port States Measures and the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries for Sustainable Fisheries and Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea.” The project aims to enhance the capacity of government, private sector, fisherfolks, to improve sustainability of marine fisheries by preventing, deterring and eliminating IUU fishing and enhance maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea”.

IUU global threat

In her opening remarks, the FAO Representative in Liberia, Madam Mariatou Njie said the workshop is intended to raise awareness of the international and regional framework on the PSMA for the implementation of port, flag, coastal and market state responsibilities; and to undertake an initial review of existing policies and legislation, institutional arrangements, monitoring, control and surveillance systems and operations.

She highlighted that the weeklong event would define a course of action for the introduction of provisions and procedures consistent with the PSMA and related international instruments and regional mechanisms to combat IUU fishing and identify capacity-building needs for the implementation of the PSMA and complementary international instruments.

“The resulting National Strategy and Action Roadmap will enable FAO and other donors to plan and support activities within the framework of the Japanese funded project,” she added.

The Deputy Director for Technical Services at NaFAA, Hon. William Boeh informed participants that IUU fishing affects global economy at a loss of USD 23 billion.

Mr. William further informed that Liberia acceded to this international instrument on 21 June 2019, making Liberia the 61^st party to ratify the international framework. “Liberia is the 8^th from the 12^th coastal countries of West Africa to achieve and ratify the PSMA, clearly demonstrating the regions’ increased commitment to block fish cut from IUU fishing from it ports and reaching national and international markets.”

He also stated that Liberia lacks the capacity to enforce the PSMA and the provision of complementary instruments and regional mechanism. “Liberia has made tremendous efforts to combat IUU even before it ratified the agreement.”

Follow-up and next step

Participants of the workshop have extended their full support for the formulation of work plan based on the strategic Action Plan as enshrined in annex of the PSMA document, filtered back through the project document and agreed with the national authorities. The work plan will further supplement Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and legal reviews in country in order to gain detailed understanding of short, medium and long-term needs from these two prospective. Pending the preparation of the detailed work plan, there should be preparation of a draft inter-agency template; assessment of training needs (inspectors/observers) in liaison with the country focal points, which is ongoing; and a joint in-country (MCS)/legal review.