Monrovia – Following two days of protest by several members of the Liberian Seamen Union, the Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) has provided some technical details why the government of Liberia has not licensed the six controversial Chinese fishing vessels currently at the Bong Mines fishing Pier on Bushrod Island.
On July 30 and 31, 2020 aggrieved members of the Liberian Seamen Union stormed the offices of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority on Bushrod Island in an angry mood demanding the licensing of the six Chinese Super trawlers in an attempt to provide them job opportunities.
The angry seamen union members who denied NaFAA’s staff of entering their offices Friday, July 31, 2020, alleged that the authorities of NaFAA have decided to deny the six vessels operations on Liberian waters; this, they said would take them from their current state of joblessness and restore their families livelihoods.
The protesters claimed that after obtaining international certified training from the Regional Maritime university facilitated by the Liberian government through NaFAA, they have been denied opportunities to board European and other international tuna vessels fishing across the world.
But in response to their allegations under a poll of rain on Friday, July 31, 2020, the Director-General of NaFAA Hon. Emma Metieh Glassco disclosed that there are several technical issues associated with licensing those fishing vessels as such all of those technical issues will have to be addressed adequately before their registration and subsequent permit to fish in Liberian water.
Mrs. Glassco said, “the six gigantic vessels that came to Liberia have larger fishing capacities nor of such have ever come to Liberia to fish and worse their authorization has expired to the flag state which is China”. She says “now china as a flag state needed to issue that vessel authorization”.
But Mrs. Glassco mentioned that Liberia through NaFAA” has not received any authorization from the flag state which is China, except a transit document from Mozambique to Liberia however, that expired since June 26, 2020”. She noted that under that circumstances, “Liberia cannot issue licenses to those vessels when the flag state has not authorized the vessels to operate on distance waters, it will be a bridge of international protocols. The NaFAA Boss indicated that now that Liberia is a member of United Nations Port State Measures Agreement to deter and eliminate Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing, it also stands to be red-carded as a non-compliance country if these giant trawlers which we have not seen before are licensed without proper due diligence.
Mrs. Glassco recalled that Liberia is currently nursing a yellow card issued by the European Union and all efforts are being put in place to lift the yellow card which Liberia got as a result of the illegal fishing activities during the former regime.
She noted that as of “now most of the vessels operating in Liberian waters are not entering the European Union ports due to the current yellow card issue. The NaFAA boss explained that the yellow card placed on Liberia is directly affecting the fisheries and Maritime Authorities, this she said is having negative effects on the Liberian economy.
The Liberian Fisheries Boss further indicated that currently, Liberia is the second open registry in the world and if cautions are not considered by this government through NaFAA, Liberia could degenerate downward to the least position in the world because of the yellow card issued by the European Union.
Hon. Glassco however said there exist possibilities for Liberian Seamen to board other international fishing vessels despite the lack of fishing pier to contain bigger fishing. She disclosed that six members of the Liberian seaman union will shortly depart Liberia for Ghana to board two international fishing vessels licensed by NaFAA.
Madam Glassco said given the current status of the six Chinese fishing vessels, the Liberian government through NaFAA cannot issue them licenses because this might result to a red card from the EU which could hamper chances of operating the entire national fisheries entity and later end the aspirations of the local seamen.
She moreover indicated that as far as those vessels are concern Liberia cannot go contrary to any international protocols because it risks red card from EU and this will also hamper the market repelling international vessels from operating in Liberian waters.
She concluded by saying discussions will continue with members of the Liberian Seamen Union to have them understand the decision government is taking through NaFAA as issuing vessel fishing licenses has to do with procedures and that’s technical.
