The
Country Manager for the World Bank office in Sierra Leone yesterday stated that
license fees paid by trawlers sailing in the country’s waters are too low, and
that as a result about 95 trawlers currently sail the country’s waters.
Parminder
P.S. Brar told a joint presser organised by his office, the United States
Embassy and the European Union that based on their assessment, the number of
trawlers that should embark on sustainable fishing in Sierra Leone waters
should be between 30 and 40.
He
noted that Sierra Leone currently charges less than one percent of the ex-value
of the vessel as compared to the international normal charge of between 5 to
8%.
At
present, the country only receives US$6 million annually from licenses obtained
by fishing trawlers, in spite of having about 95 trawlers registered to fish in
its territorial waters.
According
to the World Bank Country Manager, because of the low license fees, most
trawlers in the West Africa sub-region are attracted to fishing in the
country’s waters, which inevitably leads to over fishing.
“The
tariff needs to be repriced and improved. Liberia charges 10%. If Sierra Leone
is to develop its fisheries, it needs to involve the private sector. For that
to happen, they need a sustainable resource which is not available right now
and good legal framework, which is also in the process of setting up,” he said.
Also,
Mr. Brar said the draft fishery law is 186 pages long, with lots of materials
in it that should have been included in fisheries regulation.
He
urged that the proposed law should be in compliance with international best
practices, adding that based on an assessment by the Food and Agricultural
Organisation (FAO) and the World Bank, it is not.
“We
need to work with the government and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine
Resources to revise and improve the fishery law before its goes to Cabinet and
Parliament. Also, the country urgently needs a jetty on the Lungi side, where
fish can be landed, processed and exported as per international standard,” he
stated.
United
States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, John Hoover, said that the country’s
fisheries are probably its greatest natural resource.
He said
that a well-managed fishery sector could help strengthen nutrition, health and
food security of Sierra Leoneans, as well as generate jobs and provide revenue
for the government.
“Fisheries
are a renewable resource and if managed properly they can contribute to
economic development and prosperity on a sustainable basis,” said Ambassador
Hoover.
Head of
the European Union Delegation, Ambassador Peter Versteeg, also spoke about the
EU’s contribution to the improvement of artisanal fisheries in the country.
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