MONROVIA, Liberia — Liberia has secured a major international grant aimed at transforming the governance of its fisheries sector, marking another significant step in the country’s efforts to strengthen transparency, modernize fisheries laws, and intensify the fight against illegal fishing activities that continue to threaten marine resources and coastal livelihoods.
The Government of Liberia announced that it has obtained a US$500,000 grant through Oceans5 to support a comprehensive review and modernization of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019. The funding was secured following a series of international engagements and partnerships developed during the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference held in Nice, France, in 2025 and further reinforced at the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, in 2026.
The initiative, titled “Creating Greater Fisheries Transparency in Liberia,” will be implemented by the Environmental Justice Foundation in partnership with the Government of Liberia through the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA). The project is designed to enhance accountability, strengthen governance systems, and improve transparency throughout Liberia’s fisheries sector while increasing the country’s ability to detect and combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Officials say the project represents a strategic intervention aimed at addressing longstanding challenges within the fisheries industry and ensuring that Liberia’s marine resources are managed in a sustainable and responsible manner.
A central component of the initiative will be the review and updating of existing fisheries legislation to align with evolving international standards and best practices. The legal reform process will support the incorporation and implementation of the principles contained in the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, an international framework that promotes openness, accountability, and responsible fisheries management.
Liberia emerged as one of the countries championing the Charter during the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, where governments and international organizations committed to advancing transparency measures in the global fisheries sector.
The project will also support Liberia’s efforts to ratify the International Labour Organization’s Work in Fishing Convention (C188), an important international agreement that establishes labor standards and protections for workers employed in the fishing industry.
Authorities believe the incorporation of these standards into Liberia’s legal framework will help improve working conditions, strengthen labor protections, and ensure greater accountability throughout the fisheries value chain.
The grant is being viewed as a significant milestone in Liberia’s ongoing fisheries governance reform agenda and reflects growing confidence among international partners in the country’s commitment to sustainable ocean management and responsible resource utilization.
By strengthening legal frameworks and expanding transparency measures, Liberia hopes to improve monitoring systems, enforcement mechanisms, and compliance efforts across the fisheries sector. Government officials believe these reforms will contribute to better management of marine resources while supporting economic growth and environmental sustainability.
The initiative is also expected to play a critical role in addressing concerns raised under the European Union’s fisheries governance framework. For nearly nine years, Liberia has operated under an EU Yellow Card warning, a mechanism used by the European Union to identify countries that require improvements in their efforts to combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing.
The Yellow Card designation has served as a signal that further reforms are necessary to strengthen fisheries oversight and enforcement. Liberian authorities are optimistic that the implementation of the new project and accompanying legal reforms will advance the country’s efforts toward meeting international compliance requirements and ultimately securing the removal of the warning.
Speaking after the agreement was finalized, National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority Director General J. Cyrus Saygbe Sr. described the grant as a major achievement for Liberia’s fisheries sector and a reflection of the government’s determination to pursue meaningful reforms.
According to Director General Saygbe, the initiative demonstrates Liberia’s commitment to building a fisheries industry grounded in transparency, sustainability, and accountability. He emphasized that protecting marine resources requires strong institutions, modern legal frameworks, and effective monitoring systems capable of addressing emerging challenges within the sector.
He further noted that the project will help strengthen Liberia’s ability to safeguard its fisheries resources while promoting responsible fishing practices, improving labor standards, and creating long-term economic opportunities for coastal communities that depend heavily on the ocean for their livelihoods.
Officials say the reform process will involve extensive collaboration among government agencies, international partners, fisheries stakeholders, and coastal communities to ensure that the revised legal framework responds effectively to current realities and future challenges.
As Liberia continues to strengthen its role in global ocean governance discussions, the new grant is expected to provide critical support for national efforts aimed at protecting marine ecosystems, improving fisheries management, and ensuring that the country’s vast ocean resources contribute sustainably to economic development for generations to come.
The funding agreement further positions Liberia as an emerging voice in international fisheries governance and highlights the growing importance of transparency and accountability in securing the long-term sustainability of the country’s blue economy.
