STAKEHOLDERS VALIDATE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PLAN 2020-2025 By Max A. Konneh, Press Officer, MFMR

Honorable Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Mrs. Emma Kowa Jalloh making a point

Sierra Leone’s fisheries resources have been subjected to undue fishing pressure for decades by commercial Industrial Fishing vessel and artisanal fishing fleets. Previous and current scientific estimates indicate decrease biomass in key commercially exploited fish species with evidence of overfishing between 2016 -2018.

A group photo of participants at the workshop

This situation, according to experts is due to weak implementation of management measures, coupled with inadequate enforcement capability to ensure compliance with prescribed rules and regulations. In an attempt to reverse the current trend, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resource has introduced robust sustainable management measures that will rebuild the stocks so that they can fully contribute to the country’s socio- economic development.

Deputy Minister of Fisheries making a point

Among measures undertaken by the ministry is the development of a Fisheries Management Plan which has been reviewed by key stakeholders including,  representatives from  the Technical and Scientific Committee on Fisheries, Parliament, Industrial Fishing Companies,  Artisanal fisheries sector, management staff of the ministry and navy,

Speaking at a one-day technical validation workshop on the draft Fisheries Management Plan 2020-2025, held at the ministry’s conference hall on Friday, 29th January, 2021, the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Emma Kowa Jalloh, said she has been yearning for answers as to how the country’s fish stocks could be sustained in the long term, adding that most of the positive answers could be found in the new fisheries management plan.

Director of Fisheries, Kadijatu Jalloh, and Deputy Secretary, M. Jalloh at the workshop

She expressed concern over the alarming rate at which the country’s fish stocks, mangrove vegetation, marine environment among others are exploited and polluted while underscoring the need to ensure that living aquatic resources are sustainably managed. Citing various steps taken to transform the sector, the minister intimated that her ministry in collaboration with the Institute of Marine Biology has been conducting fish stock assessment through Scientific Observer Programme as well as an independent Fish Stock Assessment Programme, using a Chinese Research Vessel. She implored participants to proffer concrete solutions that would address issues relating to the sustainable management of the country’s fisheries sector

Acting Deputy Director, J. Mamie making his presentation

Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Ibrahim Turay, described the initiative as an “unprecedented attempt” by the ministry to address issues relating to the sustainable management of the industry. He informed the gathering that according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, 78% of the world’s coastal resources are depleted or declining whilst acknowledging the need to thoroughly validate the draft plan

A cross-section of participants at the workshop

“In order to ensure we maintain investments, profit and revenue, we need to have the resources in a healthy state” he added.  Director Fisheries, Kadijatu Jalloh, stressed the importance of the workshop, saying that it will serve as an opportunity for them to review the document and manage the sector well. She lamented the rate at which fishers from neighbouring countries are exploiting the country’s fisheries resources as a result of the depleting nature of marine resources in those countries and expressed the urgent need to put in place, systems that would protect the country’s marine ecosystem

Presenting the draft plan to stakeholders, Acting Deputy  Director of Fisheries, Josephus Mamie, said it objectives among others are to regulate the fishing effort by fishing fleets to a level that would ensure sustainable exploitation of fish stocks at a maximum economic yield and  ensure compliance with national, regional and international legal instruments

More participants

The programme which was chaired by the Deputy Secretary of the ministry, Mohamed Jalloh, also saw a review of the Joint Maritime Committee, JMC operational plan 2021. Salient concerns, observations and suggestions were raised by participants during the interactive working group sessions for the attention of management staff of the ministry