PHOTO: NaFAA’s Director General, Hon. Glassco, Maritime Boss Len Eugene Nagbe at the center of participants and, facilitators from (ALSF) in a group photo at the start of the five days’ international fishery access agreement.
Monrovia-The Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Madam Emma Metieh Glassco has described the local media as a strategic partner to the accelerated growth the fisheries sector is experiencing under the Weah-led government.
Madam Glassco extolled the efforts of the media in persistently elevating developments relating to the fisheries sector, but stressed the need for more capacity building to sharpen the skills of journalists so that they can adequately inform the public, says a press release from NaFAA on Monday.
The Director General was speaking Monday May 23, 2023 at the start of a five-day training workshop on Fisheries Access Agreement in Monrovia. Three Liberian lead talk show hosts are participating in the training.
The fisheries boss is hopeful of more of such capacity building that would see the participation of several Liberian journalists to expand their understanding in fisheries and the workings of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority.
“We have invited members of the independent media to participate in this training program, as we see the media as a strategic partner. Strengthening their technical knowledge on this emerging economic sector will definitely help them in their reporting and presentations.”
Speaking further, Madam Glassco encouraged participants to take advantage of the training, saying “capacity building is pivotal to improving the output of an institution as human resources are the greatest resource”.
Funding for the training was provided by the African Development Bank. Director General Glassco lauded the AFDB for the support.
“We applaud the African Development Bank for the grant in the amount of about US$200,000.00 and look forward to more of such support”.
According to her, funding for the workshop was sourced following the participation of two of NaFAA Directors, Siekula T. Vannie and Alexander Dunbar in a training in South Africa. She mentioned that the two Directors didn’t only participate, but negotiated for similar training to take place in Liberia.
“In 2018, I received an invitation to travel to South Africa for a workshop organized by the African Legal Support Facility and funded by the African Development Bank. Due to my tight schedule, I sent Mr. Alexander Dunbar, from the Policy Planning and Investment Department and Mr. Siekula Vannie, Human Resource Director to attended. Little did I know that sending my HR was a good decision. After they returned, I was briefed on the training and it was recommended that we conduct a similar training for our senior staff as we are heavily engaged in Fisheries negotiation almost on a daily basis”.
Earlier, Maritime Commissioner Lenn Eugene Nagbe said Liberia in the past entered into several Fisheries Access Agreements on the basis of satisfying certain political conditions without considering the technical details.
The weeklong international fishery capacity building training is being facilitated by Africa Legal Support Facility (ALSF).
Government ministries and agencies participating in the international fisheries training are the National Port Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Justice, Maritime, and the Ministry of Agriculture among others.
Participants at the training are being drilled through several topics including Fisheries access agreements & arrangements, access agreement types and the typical structure of an access agreement, the interests of African States, and the dominant fishing fleets, their strategies and tactics.
Other topics for discussion include, regional co-operation and the minimum terms and conditions of access approach, management of access agreements by Coastal States and conservation and environmental issues.
Participants at the training workshop will also be taught about the Law of the Sea Convention, fish stocks agreement, FAO Compliance Agreement, FAO Port State Measures Agreement, FAO Code of Conduct, the Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) treaties and other instruments.