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–As EU discloses new fisheries project during CMA MoU signing ceremony
The government of Liberia through the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, NaFAA has officially committed to ensuring that the established CMAs are financially empowered and technically equipped to carry out their responsibilities in the various fishing communities.
Speaking over the weekend when NaFAA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the seven different Collaborative Management Associations, (CMAs) at its Corporate Headquarters on Bushrod Island, the Deputy Director General for Technical Services Hon. William Y. Boeh disclosed that the CMAs are pivotal to the fisheries sector.
The Environmental Justice Foundation established the seven different CMAs in 2022 and 2023 under the EU-funded Communities for Fisheries Project in four coastal Counties, including Grand Cape Mount, Margibi, Grand Bassa, and Grand Kru.
Commenting on some of the responsibilities of the CMAs Hon. Boeh pointed out that the CMAs are there to assist the government through the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority in the fight against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing and also help NaFAA’s Compliance and Enforcement teams in the collection of fishing license fees. Hon Boeh therefore disclosed that the Management of NaFAA is prepared to make 30% of revenue collected during the compliance and enforcement exercises available to the CMAs for their operations.
However, Hon. Boeh called on the European Union to finance the establishment of CMAs in Rivercess and Maryland Counties as there exists a need to have the local fishing organization in those two remaining counties to help reduce illegal fishing activities.
Also making remarks on behalf of the European Union, EU during the CMA MoU signing ceremony, the Green Economy Team Leader, Madam Montse Pantaleoni disclosed that the EU is to shortly launch a new fisheries and Agriculture project that is aimed at strengthening the value chain. Madam Pantaleoni mentioned that the European Union is very certain that the new fisheries and agriculture project will lead to transformation across Liberia.
She furthered that the EU is prepared to work collectively with both the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, NaFAA, and the Ministry of Agriculture, MOA to enhance transformation in the two sectors.
At the same time, EJF’s Program Officer, Mr. Augustine Fayiah, emphasized that the signing ceremony indicates that the Liberian Fisheries Authority is committed to ensuring tremendous improvement in the fisheries sector. “This gathering today, shows that NaFAA is prepared to go beyond, not just the signing ceremony, but to live up to their commitment, to ensure that CMAs are active in their commitment”.
He challenged the established CMA leadership to ensure that they continue their efforts to make sure that all of the fishing communities are secure and that illegal fishing activities are drastically reduced.
Moreover, Co-management or collaborative management Authority is a global initiative that brings fishers and fishing communities in partnership with the government to manage fisheries’ resources to ensure sustainability and better livelihood for the fishing communities and account for resources. This form of management shifts resource management from centralized approaches to decentralized and participatory approaches that incorporate multi-level institutions and empower communities to contribute to fishery management.
In Liberia, a co-management approach was adopted and named Collaborative Management Association (CMA) to collaboratively and sustainably manage the country’s small-scale fishery, whose viability is threatened by illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices, overfishing, and changing climate conditions.
It can be recalled, that CMA was established in 2012 in Grand Cape Mount County under the World Bank-funded West African Regional Fisheries Program in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture’s Bureau of National Fisheries, now known as the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) and the fishers.
There are currently eight active CMAs in Liberia. The Grand Cape Mount County Region I, II, & III CMAs, the Montserrado and Bomi CMA, the Margibi County CMA, the Grand Bassa County CMA, and Grand Kru County Grand Cess & Sass Town CMAs. The Margibi County CMA, the Grand Bassa County CMA, the Grand Kru County CMA, and the Grand Cape Mount County Regions I, II & III are the most recent CMAs established in 2022 and 2023 by the Communities for Fisheries project.
The support for the CMA has led to the formation of gender-sensitive democratically elected leadership, the development of the CMA constitution and Policy and Strategy Document, and the construction of CMA offices in three counties: Grand Bassa, Margibi, and Grand Kru.
NaFAA’s vision for the CMA is to guide, develop, empower, and promote fisheries co-management by delegating responsibilities for the sustainability of Liberia’s fisheries resources.
NaFAA aims to develop and strengthen the capacities of co-management associations so that they will be empowered to manage fisheries resources and associated ecosystems sustainably through technical and financial support.
NaFAA shall also support the operations of co-management associations and committees, monitor, coordinate, and evaluate all CMA implementation plans, and develop linkages among local and international stakeholders for enhanced co-management and learning at all levels.
