Liberia: EJF Hosts Inception Workshop for CSOs, Journalists On Fisheries Transparency

22 June 2026
Liberian Observer (Monrovia)

As illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing continues to threaten Liberia's marine resources, food security, and coastal livelihoods, the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), in collaboration with the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), is intensifying efforts to promote transparency and accountability within the country's fisheries sector.

Under the Oceans5-funded "Creating Greater Fisheries Transparency in Liberia" project, EJF recently conducted a one-day inception workshop and training for civil society organizations (CSOs) and journalists engaged in transparency and anti-corruption activities.

The workshop was held on June 16th at the A'La Lagune Guest House in Monrovia and brought together 22 participants from organizations including Integrity Watch Liberia, End Ecocide Liberia, Collaborative Management Associations (CMAs), the Liberia Artisanal Fishermen Association (LAFA), and the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), represented by its President, Julius Kanubah. Journalists from the Liberian Observer, FrontPage Africa, LNTV, and OK FM also attended.

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The training focused on strengthening collaboration among stakeholders, enhancing participants' understanding of the ten principles of the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency - a set of low- to no-cost principles that countries can implement for greater transparency in their fisheries- and mobilizing support for the ratification of the International Labour Organization Work in Fishing Convention 188 designed to ensure decent working conditions for commercial fishers, including occupational safety, access to medical care, fair employment conditions, and adequate living arrangements at sea. Ratification of the convention would align Liberia with internationally recognized labor standards applicable to its artisanal, semi-industrial, and industrial fisheries sectors.

The workshop marks a significant step toward creating a national network of civil society organizations that will work closely with the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency (CFT) to support fisheries law reform and advocate for the ratification of ILO C188. Delivering a presentation on the Oceans5 Transparency Project, EJF Program Officer Augustine Fayiah outlined the project's background, the challenges facing Liberia's fisheries sector, recent political developments, national commitments, and the ten principles of the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency.

"Vast ocean resources are quietly being depleted every day by illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing," Fayiah said. "If we don't close the gaps in monitoring and ownership, Liberia's coastal communities will pay the price." He noted that transparency is critical to exposing opaque industrial fishing practices and strengthening public oversight of the sector. Participants received in-depth training on the charter's ten principles, including the requirement for unique identification numbers for all fishing vessels; publication of fishing licenses, authorizations, and sanctions; disclosure of beneficial ownership information; prohibition of flags of convenience; public access to vessel tracking data; strict monitoring of at-sea transshipment; seafood traceability from catch to consumer; ratification of international fisheries agreements; and collection and publication of data on the welfare of fishing crews.

The workshop also highlighted the importance of increasing public access to information on fishing activities, including vessel monitoring data, licensing records, and ownership details of industrial trawlers operating in Liberian waters under foreign flags.

Speaking during the event, Press Union of Liberia President Julius Kanubah underscored the critical role of the media in promoting accountability within the fisheries sector. He emphasized the need for increased capacity-building support for journalists and civil society actors to effectively investigate and report on fisheries-related issues.

"The media must be at the center of this campaign," Kanubah said. "We cannot protect our fisheries if the public doesn't know who is fishing in our waters, under what conditions, and whether the laws are being followed." Kanubah further pledged the PUL's support in promoting transparency in the sector.

Also speaking at the workshop, Margibi CMA Chairperson Madam Ruth Kpan described fisheries transparency as a critical but often overlooked issue. "There are many activities taking place in the sector that the public remains unaware of," she said."We hope this project succeeds in ensuring that people are held accountable for their actions." She reaffirmed the CMAs' commitment to supporting EJF's efforts to promote transparency and sustainable fisheries governance across Liberia.

Over the next three years, the Transparency Project will support Liberia's fight against IUU fishing through fisheries law reform, implementation of the Global Charter's principles, and ratification of ILO C188. The initiative is intended to strengthen enforcement mechanisms while advancing labor protections for fishing communities and workers.

Liberia's fisheries sector plays a vital role in the national economy, food security, rural livelihoods, and the development of the blue economy. However, the country's 580-kilometer coastline remains vulnerable to weak enforcement and opaque vessel ownership arrangements, conditions that have enabled foreign industrial fleets to exploit marine resources at the expense of local artisanal fishers.

The Oceans5-funded initiative will build on its ongoing collaboration with NaFAA, which includes technical support for co-management development and for community-based surveillance programs designed to detect and deter illegal fishing. NaFAA estimates indicate that more than 75,000 Liberians depend directly or indirectly on small-scale fishing for their livelihoods, highlighting the importance of improved licensing systems, stronger enforcement measures, and enhanced labor protections to support food security and poverty reduction.

This means that meaningful transparency reforms will require coordinated action among regulators, journalists, civil society organizations, and coastal communities.

The overarching goal of EJF is to build public understanding and push for fisheries reform while equipping journalists and civil society actors with the knowledge and technical skills needed to track illegal fishing activities, expose abuses, and promote the sustainable management of Liberia's marine resources.

Read the original article on Liberian Observer.

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