The government of Liberia through the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), held a two-day technical fisheries worship in Monrovia aimed at ending illegal fishing on three treaties to ensure Port State Control, Safety and Labor Compliance at sea in Liberia.
The two-day fisheries workshop which is jointly organized with the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) taking place in Monrovia has brought together government Agencies on Fisheries, Maritime and the Environment, and regional and international Partners.
Declaring the technical fisheries workshop opened on September 21, 2021, the Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, Emma Metieh Glassco, disclosed that NaFAA in partnership with stakeholders has been successful in developing national policies and management instruments, supporting data collection systems with tools and training, helping the small-scale fisheries and indigenous peoples access resources and markets and empowering them to be part of the solution through the Collaborative Management Associations.
Additionally, Glassco indicated that NaFAA and stakeholders are “ensuring decent working conditions of all fishers, upholding fishers’ safety at sea, and a coordinated approach to increase the involvement of relevant stakeholders in the maritime domain to ensure legal catch from the net to the port.”
In a press statement signed by Lewis E.B. Konoe, Communications Manager, National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, Glassco further noted that these steps are essential in the fight against illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing with international instruments like Port State Measure Agreement PSMA, Cape Town Agreement CTA, and the International Labour Organization ILO C188; Liberia will need a universal design to eliminate Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.
She mentioned that NaFAA continues to work with national and international partners alike, to support Liberia’s efforts to effectively adhere to and implement the Port State Measure Agreement, Cape Town Agreement, and the ILO C188 and at the same time, NaFAA is committed to strengthening its institutional capacity and improve its monitoring, control, and surveillance systems and operations.
The Liberia Fisheries boss moreover stressed that Transparent information exchange and digitalizing are crucial to boosting the Port State Measure Agreement, Cape Town Agreement, and C188 as Prevent should be based on early warning by sharing information.
Mrs. Glassco explained that NAFAA, under its newly ‘setup’ digital initiative will play an essential role in promoting the needed technology and innovation, data sharing, and novel approaches consistent with the best standards.
Glassco furthered that to facilitate information exchange among relevant stakeholders; Liberia is developing applications for designating national contact points for each treaty and with support from the World Bank, will be building a national fishing port to coordinate PSMA. At the same time she pointed out that NaFAA is now finalizing a national fisheries inspection plan and the Port State Measures Implementation Strategy which she disclosed would form party of the two days technical fisheries workshop discussion to support the PSMA, CTA, and C188.
Madam Glassco said the automation of our Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MCS) system will increase access to near real-time information exchange and increase transparency and it will also be available to all stakeholders comprising the MCS Coordination Committee, most of who are present today.