(GUEST WRITER)
By: Mr Paul Sobba Massaquoi
The blue economy is the development trend in the world today, especially in countries having seas.
Sierra Leone as a small nation with its vast sea coastline can now focus its attention on marine economic development that will use the concept of the ‘blue economy
This publication will introduce the ‘blue scenarios in the marine economic development for Sierra Leone covering six key marine economic sectors i.e. fisheries, renewable energy, oil and gas, tourism, transport, environment and ecosystem.
The vision is to develop scenarios for each sector and aspect, including the business-as-usual and the ‘sustainable development or ‘blue’ scenarios, in line with and closely linked to the concept of a joint green and blue economy.
The blue scenario will bring out outstanding benefits in terms of the GDP and GNI contribution of marine economic sectors and per capita income for both our maritime and marine resources.
If the blue scenario is applied between 2025 and 2030, the country’s GDP will pummel from 4.10 Billion USD to around USD10.9 Billion higher than the business-as-usual scenario.
It is critically important therefore that the government accelerates its Maritime and marine spatial planning and policies to unlock the tremendous opportunities in the sustainable development of the marine economic sector.
While the potential is huge for Sierra Leone fisheries and aquaculture and marine renewable energy – especially offshore wind, biodiversity ecosystem services, and Eco-tourism – the key is to balance the growth of these closely linked sectors, as the development of one industry can have impacts on the others.
The present is several important recommendations to promote Sierra Leone’s blues economy in contributing to the successful implementation of the Strategy for Sustainable Development, especially on the country’s Maritime and Marine resource – What I consider to be our vision -2040 as well as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG14 on the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources.
The need for sector-based policy recommendations to achieve the blue scenario trajectory will include:
1- Fisheries and aquaculture: reducing fisheries catch to Maximum Sustainable Yield (~1 million tons per year) through a 2% per year catch reduction, including reduction of near- and middle-shore vessels horsepower of 5% per year and maintaining aquaculture area by implementing technical and management improvement leading to a secure productivity increase of 3.5% per year.
2- Oil and gas: promotion of energy saving within oil & gas production activities to enhance the protection of the environment and increased participation in the emerging marine renewable energy production.
3- Marine renewable: rapid expansion of marine renewable achieving 10,000 MW installed by 2030, including ~4,500 MW of near-shore wind and 5,000 MW of offshore wind.
4- Tourism: promote growth for international visitors by 8-10% per year and domestic tourists by 5-6% per year to 2030.
5- Maritime transport: increase maritime transport to 20.6% of market share by 2030 by increasing the volume of goods transported to 78 million tons, and expanding inland transport to 28 million tons.
With this focus in mind, our country is bound to achieve and enjoy the huge revenue there is in its country’s blue economy.
Salient quote: Any government that focuses on its Blue Economy- rules the world. @PSM
