A joint fisheries enforcement and compliance team has begun touring fishing communities across Liberia with the aim of ensuring the collection of the remaining 2020 license fees and at the same time creating massive awareness for the payment of the 2021 fishing license fees.
The fisheries enforcement and compliance team comprising NaFAA, the Liberia National Coast Guard, Liberia Immigration Services, and the Liberia National Police is touring coastal beaches and also conducting sea patrols.
The tour is taking place in the nine coastal counties namely Montserrado, Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Margibi, Grand Bassa, River Cess, Sinoe, Grand Kru and Maryland.
Currently a southeastern team is touring fishing communities in Grand Bassa County following its initial tour of fishing communities at Bassa Point fishing communities through Marshall City Margibi County.
Speaking upon the arrival of the fisheries enforcement and compliance team on the beaches of little Bassa Tuesday December 23, 2020, the Deputy Director General for Technical Services William Y. Boeh urged the local fishermen to cooperate with the CDC led-government by paying their 2020 fishing license fees.
Mr. Boeh who was accompanied by some technicians including Associate Directors Patrick Davies and Anthony Yokie stressed that no fishermen will go fishing without making full payment of their 2020 fishing license fees.
Mr. Boeh stated that the fishing fee is pivotal to NaFAA’s contribution to the national budget which impacts continuous development projects by the CDC-led government across Liberia.
Boeh further warned all fishermen who have not paid their 2020 license fees since January 2020 to immediately begin payment as their inaction is in complete violation of the 2019 Fisheries Law and Regulations of Liberia.
As a matter of enforcement, the NaFAA Deputy Director for Technical Services pointed out that “no fisherman will be allowed to go fishing beginning now until they make full payment of their 2020 fishing license fees to NaFAA staff in the counties or the Co-Management Association”.
More than 80 fishermen in little Bassa, and Bassa point fishing communities were ordered not to go fishing until they pay their 2020 fishing license fees.
Meanwhile, the joint fisheries enforcement and compliance team has a 24-day mandate from the Director General Madam Emma Metieh Glassco to tour of all fishing communities across Liberia to ensure the collection of the remaining 2020 fishing license fees and at the same time raise increased awareness for the collection of the 2021 fishing license fees.