February 15, 2021
By: Mohamed Kargbo
Madam Emma Kowa Jalloh, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources has told journalists that the annual revenue of her Ministry amounts to more than USD11.7m.
She made this statement on Thursday, 11th February 2021 at the Ministry of Information and Communications, 8th Floor, Youyi Building, press briefing in Freetown.
“The sector plays a significant role in the Nation’s economy. Fish as the most important source of animal protein, the annual revenue amounts to more than 11.7m dollars,” she said.
She further stated that the sector provides employment and it contributes approximately 10.2% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP); adding that Fisheries and Marine Resources have the potential to contribute more.
The Minister highlighted that the overall policy objective is to create a profitable sector that contributes significantly to the economic and social development through sustainable management and utilization of our fisheries resources whilst also conserving the environment.
She outlined the six strategic action to achieve the ministry objectives namely: to improve management of Sierra Leone Fisheries, reduction of illegal fishing through surveillance and other mean, value addition-improving the handling of fish stock and produce to access the European Union and other international markets, provide effective and reliable data collection and information system that is, the fish stock and the effective extension services that strengthens artisanal sector throughout the coastal area in the country.
In the area of improving stock, the Minister said they did not do the close season last year because of the COVID-19 but this year the Ministry will be implementing the close season.
“When we close the water for one month, we make a lot of changes to the artisanal sector and even the industrial sector.”
She disclosed that, a total of 12,000 or more local artisanal fishing boats are within the shores of this country and are allowed to fish in the Inland Exclusion Zone (IEZ).
She said her Ministry has reduced the amount of vessels that are at sea and even turned down vessels that the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources think can cause a lot of harm and damage to our waters.
“So, we have rejected them from venturing into our territorial waters and denied them licenses or permits to come here. The reduction of vessels at sea has improved the stock that is there because it has reduced naturally the fishing effort,” she noted.
Talking on the Aqua-culture sector, the Minister said that it has great potential and one of the sectors that the Ministry has really worked on and will continue to work on.
She spoke about the fact that they have introduced By-laws so that areas that need improvement in the aqua-culture sector or district can have proper monitoring and proper ways of doing it.
Madam Kowa said to achieve His Excellency the President Dr. Julius Maada Bio’s Human Capital Development Vision, the ministry is implementing the following activities with the sole aim of strengthening the Monitoring Control and Services (MCS) capability.
She said that, the Ministry in collaboration with stakeholders institutions under the Joint Marine Time Committee (JMC) conducted regular sea surveillance patrols using the mid-range patrols.
She further disclosed that in December 2020, the Ministry conducted trainings for the surveillance team-to all fisheries and enforcement officers in the Ministry and provided with certificates and body gears for their safety at sea.
She also disclosed that, they had signed an MoU with the Chinese Government and vessels were sent to their Ministry that have been helping them with stock assessment.
She stated that last year, they did not do much in the area of stock assessment due to COVID-19.
