In this article, the author discusses the challenges and opportunities facing Liberia's small-scale fisheries (SSF). Despite being vital for food security and livelihoods, SSF are threatened by competition from foreign industrial fleets, declining fisheries resources, and management measures that undermine its sustainable development. Regional initiatives and EU-funded projects aim to address these issues by promoting sustainable fisheries governance, protecting artisanal fishing zones, and involving fishing communities in decision-making. However, structural challenges, including inadequate enforcement of the Inshore Exclusion Zone (IEZ), remain.
Reading time: 14 minutes
In a recent intervention, the Director General of Liberia National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Emma Glassco, stressed that “small-scale fisheries are the backbone of food security, nutrition, and income generation for many rural families… they have been under-appreciated, under-documented, and under-supported. It is time we change this narrative.”
Indeed, Liberia artisanal fisheries have the potential to provide sustainable livelihoods, nutrition and food security. However, to realise this potential, significant challenges must be addressed, to protect the resources and ecosystems from unsustainable destructive fishing, to enhance and protect artisanal fishers access to fish resources, and to improve their working and living conditions.
1. The richest fishing grounds in Africa, the lowest fish consumption
Despite its huge natural resources, including some of the richest fishing grounds in the world along its 579 km coastline, fish consumption in Liberia is among the lowest in West Africa, reported to be between 5 and 10 kgs per capita annually, when in neighbouring countries like Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gambia, the annual consumption per capita is well above 20 kilos.
The industrial fishing sector contributes nothing to food security. The lack of industrial port infrastructures means that industrial vessels do not land their catches – tuna, shrimp, etc. – in Liberia, but rather in Ivory Coast or Senegal, from where these valuable products find their way to lucrative export markets in Europe or Asia.
It is the 33.000 artisanal fishers, fish processors, fish traders who provide yearly, on average, 18.000 tons of fish for the local market, making an essential contribution to nutrition and food security. Fish provides approximately 15 % of Liberians’ animal protein supply and is the second most-purchased food commodity. But this is not enough to cater for Liberians’ needs, and the country is a net importer of fish: between 2014 and 2020, Liberia imported around 33 thousand tons of fish annually.
2. Industrial fleets of foreign origin: little benefit to the country, much harm to SSF
One of the first challenges that must be addressed are the industrial vessels of foreign origin fishing in Liberian waters and that directly compete with artisanal fishers. Until 2020, EU tuna vessels fishing under the EU-Liberia SFPA made up the largest fleet of foreign origin fishing in Liberian waters. The SFPA was not renewed due to a yellow card issued to Liberia for its lack of collaboration in the fight against IUU fishing. But what concerns most Liberia artisanal fishers is the trawler fleet, the vast majority of which is flagged to China. These vessels target demersal and pelagic species and operate in the coastal area where artisanal fishers also operate.
The trawlers SOKONE and KANBAL III, both of which belong to the Senegalese company Soperka and the Spanish company Grupo Pereira, received a temporary authorization for an experimental deep sea shrimp fishery in Liberian waters. The SOKONE failed to report catches data to Liberian authorities. Photo by Vladimir Knyaz.
A recent research paper by Conservation International and the University of Liberia, “Addressing harm in distant-water fishing in Liberia”, looks at the direct and indirect impact industrial vessels have on local fisheries and coastal communities.
The report highlights that Chinese trawlers and artisanal fishers are competing for the same species groups, and that “the catches (per vessel) landed by artisanal fishers have considerably declined over the last decade, while the catch (per vessel) by the distant-water trawl fleet has increased over the same period”. Local fishers have further complained that their fishing gears have been destroyed, and that the environment in fishing areas has been disturbed, as a result of this competition at sea.
The research also highlights that the Chinese-flagged trawlers operations do not seem to be profitable: “this raises the question of why the trawl vessels are still operating in the Liberian EEZ considering the poor economic outcomes. Potential explanations could include that the fleet is receiving government subsidies, is underreporting their catch, or is present for geopolitical reasons rather than economic reasons.” The fact that industrial vessels do not land in Liberia also makes control of the vessels operations more complicated, and is an incentive to underreport catches. We have argued this was the case with trawlers of Spanish origin, flagged to Senegal – some experts argue that between 85% and 91% of the industrial catches in Liberia are never reported to the Liberian authorities.
The research concludes that “despite the successful implementation of Liberia’s inshore exclusion zone (IEZ) that protects the first 6 nautical miles for use by small-scale fishers, negative impacts of the DWF trawl fleet continue to manifest in coastal fishing communities.” However, it is important to note that the IEZ only partially protects small-scale fishers activities, as, since 2019, some trawlers are allowed to operate within the IEZ, up to 4 nautical miles.
Finally, the research underlines, the fact that NaFAA, as an autonomous regulatory body, is responsible for its own budget, funded through sector revenues. NaFAA not only needs to sustain itself but is also required to contribute 40% of its revenues to the treasury. An important part of these funds comes from the licensing of industrial vessels. In 2020, these fees reached 3 million USD: “NaFAA is subsequently at a disadvantage regarding its bargaining power with distant water fishing fleets as it heavily relies on this licensing and access fee revenue.” The reliance of the administration in charge of fisheries management from industrial vessels access fees also raises questions about its independence from powerful industrial distant water fishing operators, and its capacity to effectively protect small scale fishers’ interests from trawlers of foreign origin wanting to access the IEZ.
3. The regional card could be a trump card for small-scale fishers
In mid-December 2024, the Fisheries Committee for West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), which groups Liberia, Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Benin and Togo, gathered in Monrovia for its 15th Ministerial Conference. Under the new chairmanship of Liberia, the Conference of Ministers welcomed, for the first time, the participation of small-scale fishers, where both CAOPA (African Confederation of Professional Organisations of Artisanal Fisheries) and its local member, Liberia Artisanal Fishermen Association (LAFA), had the opportunity to contribute to the formal exchanges.
Small-scale fishers in Monrovia, Liberia. The inshore exclusive zone reserved for artisanal fishers should be clearly demarcated and protected by appropriate means to prevent any incursion of industrial fishing vessels. Photo by Aristotlè Guweh Jr.
In his statement, Gaoussou Gueye, president of CAOPA, emphasized that, in order for artisanal fishing to contribute to food security and the resilience of eco-systems, the first step is for member countries to set up and ensure the protection of zones reserved for artisanal fisheries: “These zones must be clearly demarcated, protected by appropriate means, and legal frameworks must be established to prevent the incursion of industrial fishing vessels, such as trawlers, into the zone.”
For CAOPA, it is important to promote the co-management of these zones in a transparent manner, by including all artisanal fisheries stakeholders, including women active in the sector. “The aim of this co-management should not only be to guarantee the sustainability of resources and encourage their sustainable use for the benefit of local populations, but also to protect marine and coastal ecosystems, which have been weakened by overfishing, destructive fishing methods and the consequences of climate change,” Mr. Gueye explained.
Even though fisheries co-management in Liberia has been supported by donors like the EU for several years, like in many other countries, the informed participation of fishers to decision making remains a challenge. This is even more so when it comes to establishing restrictive measures like a closed fishing season.
“The FCWC initiative to implement a harmonised regional closed season should be discussed in collaboration with SSF, specifically on how Member States can support their artisanal fishers during such a closed season.””
The FCWC has an initiative on the long term for the adoption of a harmonised regional closed season by its member states. Under FCWC ‘s impulse, last year, Liberia proposed to introduce a closed season. Liberian fishers said the plan could be a solution to dwindling catches, but stressed there must be some form of livelihood support for them during the period when they are not allowed to fish. Moreover, for them, a closed season must apply first and foremost to the industrial vessels that harvest a large amount of the country’s fish, including from nearshore waters that are supposed to be the exclusive domain of small-scale fishers.
This feeling is echoed by fishers from other countries of the region, like in Ghana. In 2019, Ghana was the first FCWC Member State to implement an annual closed season to help overexploited fish resources recuperate. As 81% of artisanal fishers in Ghana live solely from fishing, with nothing else to rely on during the fishing closed season, this measure has dire consequences for the 3 million Ghanaian fishers. Measures taken by the government – including the distribution of bags of rice and cooking oil – are deemed insufficient by fishing communities. Meanwhile, other threats to fish resources, like illegal trawling practices or illegal mining, are not acted upon with sufficient strength by the authorities.
The fact that FCWC is now instrumental for establishing harmonized measures for a closed season in its Member States is an opportunity to discuss, in collaboration with small-scale fishers, what support Member States should provide to their artisanal fishers during such closed season.
Another measure in favour of small-scale fisheries, that would benefit from being discussed at FCWC level is the fixation of access costs to resources for artisanal fishers. This should be done taking into account the key contribution they make to food security and job creation.
“NaFAA not only needs to sustain itself but is also required to contribute 40% of its revenue to the treasury. As an important part of these funds comes from the licensing of industrial vessels (3 million USD in 2020), the agency is at a disadvantage regarding its bargaining power with DWF fleets as it heavily relies on this licensing.””
In Liberia, the level of the license fees that are requested from artisanal fishers raises much concerns: small canoes up to 15 HP are required to pay 250 USD, whilst larger canoes, with engines up to 40 HP, are required to pay 475 USD.
The latest 2024 Sida report on poverty analysis in Liberia highlights that “poverty is widespread in Liberia with around 30 percent of the population living below the extreme international poverty rate of 2.15 USD per person per day. If using the middle-income poverty rate of 3.65 USD, the proportion of the population living below the threshold increases to almost 70 percent.”
The vast majority of small-scale fishers fall into these categories, which means the costs of license for canoes represent the equivalent of several months of an average fisher’s income. This level of licensing fees for small scale fisheries is unheard of in the region. As comparison, the licensing fees for small canoes in Senegal is 15.000 CFA (23 USD), 12 times less than in Liberia.
This puts a disproportionate burden on the fishers’ shoulders, jeopardizing their future and the role they can play for food security. The imposition of such fees resulted recently in the confiscation by the authorities of engines belonging to small-scale fishers who couldn’t pay this exorbitant amount, further depriving them of their livelihood and jeopardizing the contribution of the sector to food security in the country.
King Gray small-scale fisheries community in the Paynesfield district of Monrovia, Liberia. NaFAA has confiscated the engines of some fishers who have failed to pay the $250 fishing licence fee, an amount equivalent to several months' wages. Photo by George Harris.
Finally, a regional commitment by the FCWC and its members towards the protection of artisanal fishing zone, effective co-management and informed participation of fishing communities, as requested by CAOPA, could help address common fisheries management challenges. If well implemented, it could also harmonize management measures and would ensure the rights of local fishing communities are respected and their needs addressed.
4. The EU intervention: the carrot-and-stick approach
In 2017, Liberia received a warning from the EU for its failure to adequately tackle illegal fishing. Liberia has the world’s second biggest ship registry in the world, with over 100 fishing vessels registered under its flag. But according to the EU, the Liberian authorities did not have the information or means to monitor and control the fleet under its flag. At the time, the EU also raised concerns about Liberia proposals to reduce the protected inshore exclusive zone (IEZ), something that “compromises the conservation and sustainable management of fish stocks.”
Eight years have gone by, and despite numerous initiatives and projects to help Liberia tackle IUU fishing, the situation doesn’t seem to have improved. In July 2024, it was reported that, during a meeting in the margins of the FAO Committee on Fisheries, the country had been further warned by the EU that it risks receiving a red card, “considering growing evidence of mismanagement and violations within Liberia's fisheries sector, particularly involving the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA).” It was reported that the European Commission highlighted a lack of transparency and a failure to adhere to procedures for sanctioning Liberia flagged vessels caught fishing illegally.
An IUU “red card” would result in a variety of sanctions, including a ban on Liberian seafood products entering the EU market. However, Liberian fish imports to the EU market are almost non-existent, rendering this particular consequence of no consequence… But other impacts would be felt more strongly: Liberia’s reputation as a flag state would be damaged internationally, and a red card means that the revival of the currently dormant Liberia – EU Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) would be even more unlikely. Indeed, when an SFPA partner country is warned for lack of cooperation to fight IUU fishing, it stops any negotiation for the renewal of an SFPA protocol.
“The fact that industrial vessels do not land in Liberia complicates the monitoring of their operations and encourages underreporting of catches. Experts estimate that between 85% and 91% of industrial catches go unreported to Liberian authorities.””
Between 2015 and 2020, the EU Liberia SFPA protocol offered fishing opportunities to 34 tuna vessels. Liberia annual revenue from the SFPA was approximately 1 million euros, which includes both sectoral support and operators’ fees. It represented 32% of the total gross NaFAA’s revenues, and 21% of total net NaFAA’s revenues after it paid the Government share of access revenues (the sectoral support is not shared with the government).
At the time of the SFPA evaluation, European NGOs and trade unions complained that “the EU sectoral support has been utilised exclusively to support NaFAA functioning, with no sectoral support measures directly benefiting to artisanal fishing communities or directed to training of fishers.”
In any case, without an SFPA tuna protocol in force, an important source of revenue for NaFAA has gone, and maximizing the revenues from non-EU vessels, like the trawlers of foreign origin, have become more central for the funding of the agency. Balancing these funding needs with sustainability concerns raised by the licensing of trawlers of foreign origin is likely to be a challenge.
The potential renegotiation of an SFPA in the future, however, may contain clauses of concern for small-scale fishers, in particular if the SFPA is expanded to other species than tuna. For example, the deep sea shrimp has already been all but wiped out by Senegalese trawlers of Spanish origin. The arrival of any trawlers as part of an SFPA would create further havoc in an already battered inshore zone.
When it comes to initiatives taken for the development of the fisheries sector, the World Bank is the major partner of Liberia. Currently, the World Bank project on Sustainable Management of Fisheries (2021-2026), to which the EU contributes, provides for the development of industrial and artisanal fishing port infrastructure. These would include shore facilities for fish auction, a landing quay, a central fish market, a processing area and provision of required utilities for private sector investment in ice production and solar cold storage.
The EU itself funds several projects which, in part at least, focus on benefitting local small scale fishing communities. For example, the technical Assistance "Food Systems Governance" Fisheries Project (2024-2026) aims to strengthen NaFAA and improve the management of Liberia's fisheries sector. Focus areas include enhancing the fisheries value chain, combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and promoting transparency. The project also seeks to assist Liberia in lifting the EU's "yellow card" warning, which is crucial for gaining access to EU markets and attracting foreign investments.
The new EU-funded Liberia Fisheries Governance Project (2024-2027) aims to “improve governance, democracy, and accountability in the coastal landscape.” Objectives include promoting the Co-Management Association (CMA) approach, enhancing participation of women, youth, and marginalized persons in the coastal economy, and advocating for sustainable governance and fishers’ rights. This project follows the Communities for Fisheries Project (2023) implemented by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) in collaboration with NaFAA, which completed the establishment of Collaborative Management Associations (CMAs) in four of Liberia's nine coastal counties: Grand Kru, Grand Bassa, Margibi, and Grand Cape Mount.
These projects show that, over the years, the EU has increased its focus on supporting small scale fisheries. But has this really changed the tide for local fishing communities?
Conclusion
Whether through the dialogue on IUU or the fisheries development projects supported, the EU is showing its commitment to supporting sustainable fisheries in Liberia, including for the small-scale sector, so that it can provide decent livelihoods for coastal communities and better contribute to food security. However, the success of these various initiatives to establish a framework for sustainable small-scale fisheries invariably depends on protecting and improving the access of artisanal fishers to healthy coastal fisheries resources, in line with international commitments such as the SDG 14b, or the FAO VGSSF.
Supporting the full protection of the Inshore Exclusion Zone (IEZ) and ensuring it is managed collaboratively with the fishing communities, and for their benefit, is a priority, as suggested by CAOPA during the FCWC meeting. Having an exclusion zone of 6 miles where some trawlers are allowed to come is not an exclusion zone. Having closed seasons or fishing licenses imposed on artisanal fishers without consultation, is not an appropriate way to carry out the co-management of fisheries that the EU is supporting.
If the EU wants its initiatives in favour of Liberia small scale sector to bear fruit, these difficult, contentious issues, should be brought up in the dialogue it has with Liberia.
Banner photo: Monrovia, Liberia, by CanvaPro.
SSF are threatened by competition from foreign industrial fleets, declining fisheries resources, and management measures that undermine its sustainable development. While EU-funded projects aim to address these issues by promoting sustainable fisheries governance, structural challenges, including inadequate enforcement of the Inshore Exclusion Zone (IEZ), remain.