Liberia signs MoU with Senegal on Fishery 

The Governments of Liberia and Senegal on Monday, 6 February 2023, signed a Fishery Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Dakar.

Liberia’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), and Senegal’s Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy signed on behalf of the two governments.

A dispatch said the MoU is aimed at promoting and facilitating cooperation in fisheries inspection and related activities.

This is meant to ensure effective jurisdiction and control over flagged fishing and related ships of the parties concerning their national laws and regulations and international conventions to prevent, deter and eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The MoU is also intended to serve for the exchange of information on related activities to strengthen fisheries governance.

According to the dispatch, during the signing ceremony in Dakar, NaFAA Director General Madam Emma Metieh Glassco said the implementation of the MoU will further strengthen the efforts that are already being carried out in the sub-region to ensure that the Central Gulf of Guinea is safe and secure.

“For instance, through the PESCAO project, we are implementing a regional Fisheries Monitoring Center hosted in Ghana,” she said.

“There are joint sea patrols being conducted between Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, and there are joint inspections of flagged fishing and fishing-related vessels calling into our ports.”

However, Glassco explained that studies have shown that the fisheries resources are under considerable pressure globally and in the West African sub-region, particularly from high levels of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing for which the FAO Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) was approved by the FAO Conference at its Thirty-sixth Session on 22nd November 2009.

“Today, we are here to take action and strengthen our collaborative roles in tackling this IUU menace by adopting stronger positive actions that have been implemented among other regional countries.”

She stated that the MOU is a tool for both countries to effectively implement the PSMA, and their respective national laws, regulations, and relevant conventions to which both countries are parties.

The Liberian Fisheries Director General further said that Senegal has one of the biggest fishing economies in Africa and Liberia has a lot to learn from the years of experience of Senegalese Fisheries Experts.

Also speaking, the Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy of the Republic of Senegal Pape Sagna Mbaye said Senegal is prepared to work with Liberia in enhancing the fisheries programs of their respective countries.

 Minister Sagna Mbaye stated that the implementation of the MoU will further strengthen the existing relationship among countries of the south region.

The Senegalese Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy commended the Liberian Fisheries delegation for traveling over to Daker, Senegal for the historic signing ceremony which is aimed at benefiting both countries and the region at large.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/ul-and-nafaa-launch-bachelors-degree-program-in-fisheries/–Dispatch