The Government of Liberia, through the National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority Thursday March 9, 2023 signed a fisheries Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in combating illegal fishing activities with the government and people of the Republic of Mauritania.
The purpose of the MoU is to promote and facilitate cooperation in fisheries inspection and related activities.
The MoU also seeks to ensure effective administration and control over flagged-fishing and fishing related ships of the Parties with respect to their national laws and regulations and international conventions to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Through the framework of the MoU, the two countries will cooperate in the areas of harmonized inspectorate regime; joint inspection exercises of fishing and fishing related vessels; and exchange of information on monitoring, control and surveillance.
The MOU is in accordance with Article 6 of the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which provides that the Parties shall cooperate within the bounds of their respective national laws and regulations as well as relevant international conventions to which they are parties.
The Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority of Liberia, Emma Metieh Glassco, signed on behalf of the Government of Liberia while the Mauritanian Minister of Fisheries Mohammed Adidine Mayif signed on behalf of his government.
Madam Glassco commended the Mauritanian government for creating the enable environment for the signing which intends to enhance the cordial relations between the two countries.
“Finally Mauritanian has consented through its good will for the signing of this cooperation as Liberia has done with other countries in an effort to fight illegal unreported and unregulated fishing activities in our sub region,” she expressed.
DG Glassco emphasized that illegal fishing is one of the most severe problems affecting world fisheries and the main obstacle in achieving sustainable fisheries globally.
The NaFAA DG also provided that the MOU will promote and facilitate cooperation in fisheries inspection and related activities to ensure effective administration and control over flagged fishing and fishing related vessels of our respective countries as stated in the purpose of this MOU.
Mr. Mayif said his government was pleased to entered into the MoU intended to fight legal fishing activities for the good of both countries and promised the Mauritanian government full cooperation in the implementation of the fisheries MoU and at the same time work with the Liberian fisheries Authority for the overall enhancement of Liberian fisheries sector.
The signing of the MoU with Mauritania brings the number to a total of four fisheries MoU entered with the Republic of Ghana, Republic of Cote D’Ivoire. Ivory Coast and the Republic of Senegal.
