By Precious D Freeman
The University of Liberia (UL) will be launching the Department of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences (DoFAS) on Wednesday, January 24, 2023, in the University Auditorium.
The degree program which is supported by the World Bank will be called the Bachelor of Science in the Fisheries Department, and will be launched by the Vice President of Liberia, Jewel Howard Taylor and the keynote to be delivered by Representative Fonati Kofa
Explaining about the program, the Acting Chair of the Fisheries Department, Prof. Alvin S. Jueseah stated that the World Bank invested US$60 million for the degree program and will be offered by DoFAS in Science College, within the UL.
According to him, DoFAS primary objective is to build the needed human resources capacity that will support the Liberians government in achieving its sustainable development goals of national food security and resources conservation, sustainable management of Fisheries resource of Liberia, marine and inland ecosystems to provide long term goods and services to the community and country at large.
He added that DoFAS role is to train competitive students with skills in Fisheries management and administration, Aquaculture and fish processing and marketing sciences to provide services in both public and private sector organizations.
Prof. Jueseah maintained that the program will equip students with tools and methods in investigating issues of Fisheries resources management Aquaculture and fish processing and marking issues.
“The program will carry out research in marine, inland water ecosystems to assist policy and decisions makers to prepare policies on sustainable utilization of marine and freshwater resources. also, the Bachelor’s in Fisheries Science Program is designed to prepare Fisheries professionals with competences in science and practice of Fisheries and Aquaculture as well as fish processing and marketing issues; the program is a BSc and it will last for four years” he said.
He furthered named the nature of the field of study as Fisheries management and administration, Aquaculture, Fish processing and marketing, also he explained that the entry requirement for the University of Liberia is to apply in the Fisheries Science Program.
“Young Fisheries students will be given the opportunity to manage government agencies such as NaFAA, DOFAS, CARI and other related agencies such as EPA, LIMA, local and International NGOs engaged in marine environmental campaign and biodiversity conservation, fish processing and marketing industries among others” Prof. Jueseah added.
The Liberians fishing industry with the World Bank US$60 million injection is in transition. In order to support the current transition in the Liberia fishing industry from small-scale to semi and large-scale industrialization.
The World Bank quite recently agreed to finance the establishment and running of a Regional Center of Excellence for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (ReCEFAS) at the UL.
ReCEFAS will support the transition of the Liberia fishing industry from semi to large scale industrialization through capacity development, institutional strengthening, innovation, research, extension service, quality assurance, among others.
ReCEFAS will be providing technical, capacity development, and knowledgeable support for the efforts aimed at industrializing the fishery sector in Liberia and beyond.
