Liberia Strengthens Fight Against Illegal Fishing Through High-Level Technical Working Session
The Government of Liberia, through the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) in partnership with the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), has successfully concluded a two-day high-level technical working session aimed at strengthening Liberia’s capacity to combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Held from May 25–26, 2026, in Monrovia, the session focused on enhancing Liberia’s implementation of the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA)—the first legally binding international treaty designed to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal fishing by denying port access to vessels engaged in unlawful activities.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, NaFAA Chief Inspector, Mrs. Ellen Teewon, commended the FCWC Secretariat for its continued support to Liberia’s fisheries sector and encouraged technical staff, particularly those in Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS), to fully utilize the knowledge and technical support provided to strengthen operational efforts against illegal fishing.
The technical mission, led by FCWC experts and regional partners, focused on improving Liberia’s operational readiness through the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for vessel entry analysis and inspections at the Freeport of Monrovia, strengthening fisheries inspection systems, enhancing technical skills of inspectors and port authorities, and improving inter-agency coordination.
The workshop brought together fisheries inspectors, Fisheries Monitoring Centre personnel, port authorities, legal experts, and other technical actors involved in fisheries risk assessment and vessel inspections.
Expected outcomes include the development of draft SOPs tailored to Liberia’s port control operations, clearer institutional roles and responsibilities, improved understanding of PSMA-compliant inspection procedures, and the identification of future technical support and capacity-building priorities.
Liberia reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening fisheries governance, protecting marine ecosystems, and working with regional and international partners to promote sustainable fisheries management, food security, and economic resilience.
Source : NaFAA
