A high-powered Japanese delegation is in Liberia as guest of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) to conclude discussions on an MOU aimed at prioritizing the commercialization of the Fishing pier/port, NaFAA has said.
The MOU might also include dragging the pier and expanding its capacity to allow larger vessels to berth in Monrovia.
The Japanese Fisheries delegation arrived in Liberia Sunday August 12, 2018.
A press release from NaFAA said over the past years, Liberia has loss huge amount of revenue as most of Liberia’s industrialized registered fishing vessels berth at neighboring fishing port due to the fact that Liberia fishing pier lacks the capacity to take in those vessels.
As a means of ensuring improvement in the Liberian Fisheries Sector, the administration of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority initiated discussions with their Japanese Counterparts to bring about reform with in the sector.
According to a NaFAA Press Release the Japanese and the Liberian government through NaFAA will discuss the possibilities of a bilateral sustainable fisheries agreement wherein; Japanese fishing vessels could fish in our waters for Tuna fisheries.
The discussion will also center on request to the Japanese government to encourage their private Japanese fishing entities to explore business opportunities in the fisheries sector. This will include establishment of manufacturing company for fibroid glass fishing boat so as to empowered our local fishermen and improve Liberia semi-industrial fisheries, as well as the establishment of processing facilities and fish canneries among other opportunities in the fisheries sector.
The NaFAA release also added that the MOU if fully implemented would result to massive improvement within the Liberian fisheries sectors and at the same time result to huge revenue generation and employment opportunities across the nine coastal counties.
The visit of the Japanese delegation to Liberia is as a result of a recent visit of the NaFAA’s Director General, Mrs. Emma Metieh-Glassco and Deputy Director General for Administration, Augustine Manoballah to the Republic of Japan. The Liberian Fisheries Sector has the potential to attract more foreign investments, given its rich fish stocks status within the West African Region.