On April 8, four days after Liberia recorded the first death due to Coronavirus, the President, George M. Weah declared a 21-day State of the Emergency and instructed a 14-day lockdown in four of the fifteen counties where there had been cases recorded. A 3 pm curfew and a ban on social gatherings were also instituted in the lockdown counties, Montserrado, Margibi, Nimba and Grand Kru. In these counties, schools, religious centers, and non-essential businesses were ordered to close while essential businesses including hospitals, banks, supermarkets, and other government-run entities were asked to follow all safety protocols.
Two weeks later, on April 24, the Liberian President extended the State of Emergency, originally scheduled for 21 days, to 60 days with a compulsory mask-wearing in public spaces as the number of Coronavirus cases increased in the country. The President also extended the lockdown by two weeks and to all the other regions of the country, an order that should come to an end tomorrow, 8 May.
Fishmongers trading on a sidewalk. With the curfew in place in several counties and social distancing which reduces the number of men on board, the catches have decreased and prices of fish are inflated. Photo: George Harris
With 170 cases reported as of 6 May, according to Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and 20 deaths so far, the impact of the pandemic, however, extends beyond the health sector. Indeed, no sphere of the West African country has been spared. The country’s economy is dominated by concessions-companies and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which have heavily been affected by the measures put in place by the Liberian government to reduce the spreading of the virus.
Artisanal fishers respond
Amid the COVID-19 crisis threatening the population’s livelihoods, the Liberian small-scale fisheries are working out ways to stay safe while maintaining their livelihoods. For this, they are first ensuring that all actors respect safety measures directed to curb the spread of Coronavirus in the country, such as washing hands with water and soap and hand-sanitizer and social distancing. The fisheries sector is the one that employs most people in the coastal area and islands in Liberia, an estimated 33,000 throughout the whole value chain.
In West Point Township, a low-income neighborhood in the North West of the country’s capital, Monrovia, artisanal fishers are making sure that social distancing measures are observed among pirogue’s crews.
“Those going to the deep sea carried more than 9 to 10 men; but right now, we have reduced that number to 7 men. We have reduced the number of crew fishing for bonny [Madeiran sardinella, editor’s note]. They used to be 20; but now, they are 15 men per crew,” said D. Nimely Fannieh, Chairman of the West Point Township Fishing Community.
Besides ensuring social-distancing, small-scale fishers are also re-directing the sales of their catch. They have gone from selling immediately after landing the catch to packing first and selling the catch at a less populated spot.
On April 24, the Government made mandatory the mask in public places. Fishing communities are applying measures, such as social distancing and regular hand-washing, to fight against the spreading of the virus. Photo: George Harris.
In Margibi County, at the Marshall landing site, on the coast 54 km South from Monrovia, fishermen say the system aims at avoiding crowdedness in landing sites.
“We came up with this system before the virus outbreak in our county. Our initial thought was to ensure orderliness among ourselves,” said Nod Kojee, Chairperson of fishermen at the Marshall landing site.
Fishmongers (fish sellers), on the other hand, have made washing of hands and the usage of hand-sanitizer mandatory.
Some measures “too extreme”
Although artisanal fishers are ensuring that safety and sanitary measures are followed; they question some other measures, as they say, they are “too extreme” and are threatening their livelihoods.
Solomon Aphram, owner of two canoes, has seen unprecedented low catches for the past weeks, a situation he links to social distancing requirements.
“The reduction of manpower because of social distancing has made business bad. We hardly bring a full net from sea. The work we do requires a good number of manpower. Four or three men are not enough to shoot nets, withdraw the net and offload it. I know that it is a law for our own safety but when we cannot get something for our family, then it is a serious problem,” said Solomon Aphram.
In normal conditions, the withdrawal of nets requires seven men for middle-size canoes and at least 12 for large canoes.
Similarly, at the King Gray fishing beach in Paynesville municipality 14 km South of Monrovia, in Montserrado county under lockdown since the beginning, the Government’s 3 pm curfew has impacted the amount of time fishermen can stay at sea.
“Before we spent almost the entire day getting a good catch and now, we have to spend nine hours at sea. Imagine if we spent the whole day at sea just to get something good; how much fish can we get from 6 am to 3 pm, especially this rainy season when fishing is difficult?” pondered Emmanuel Zankpah, Chairperson of the King Gray fishermen.
Access to local fish for women fishmongers is harder every day, as prices are doubling due to low catches. Sarah Flomo could not buy any fish for the last few days. Photo: George Harris
For fishmongers, most of them women, the 3 pm curfew and the reduction of catches has sparked inflation in prices. It is now very difficult to access fish caught locally on the Liberian market and is having an important effect on their livelihoods and those who depend on them.
“I am buying seven bonny fish for LR$1,920 [10 USD, ed]; before we bought them for LR$960 [5 USD, ed]. The bucket of Gblaphleh [West African illisha, ed] is now LR$1700 [9 USD, ed]. Add my transport cost to this; I pay LR$90 on public transport to come here every day,” said Sarah Flomo 48, and a mother of three children.
“I have been here since this morning, no fish I have bought. The boys are not bringing enough fish from the sea and what is even worse is that some of our friends have pre-paid for the catch; so people like me who are not yet customers to any of these fishermen are suffering. For days now I have left this place with no market [fish to sell, ed].”
CONCERNS FOR FOOD SECURITY IN THE COUNTRY
The UN has warned that the Coronavirus’ impact could be drastic in countries where people are facing acute-severe food insecurity. In Liberia, fish protein is an important source of animal protein in Liberia (20%), though during the civil war which ended in 2003, fish consumption per capita reduced by more than a half (15 kg to 6kg per year) and it has still not recovered. The country’s economy has also still not recovered from the Ebola outbreak, which was declared ended in January 2016. According to World Food Programme, approximately 16% of households are food insecure, with 2% severely insecure.
Is an agricultural journalist based in Liberia. He works for the Daily Observer and he recently initiated AgriGrind, a news blog to increase coverage on Liberia's agriculture sector.
Harris is also a member of the Network of Journalists for Responsible Fisheries in Africa (REJOPRA).