b. Regional efforts towards ending IUU
In West Africa however strong the governance of fishery is, it
always seems to consider SSFs as a priority. In 2010 the World Bank launched a
sub-regional initiative dedicated to West Africa. The World Bank's West Africa
Regional Fisheries Program (WARFP)'s ambition is to «increase the
economic contribution» of SSF «through strengthened
fisheries management and governance» in order to «reduced
illegal fishing, and increased local value added to fish products»
(World Bank 2017). The government of Sierra Leone created the Inshore
Exclusive Zone, a 6 nautical miles strip from the shore entirely reserved to
SSF where large boats, like trawlers are expressively prohibited from entering
and fishing. In cooperation with neighbouring countries like Liberia a
monitoring programme was also created to enhance the effectiveness and help law
enforcement. Thanks to these initiatives a slight improvement in fish catch has
been perceived by SSFs. With help from the World Bank an array of Adaptable
Program Loans (APLs) were introduced in West Africa in order to boost the
cooperation between countries regarding fishery governance and regulations with
the end goal of sustainable exploitation of marine resources. To facilitate and
meet this goal a Joint Maritime Commission (JMC) was established and
specifically designed to answer the problematic of IUU in West Africa. Results
appear satisfying as in 2012 Sierra Leone managed to generate US$ 2 million in
IUU fines but the practice persists and SSF are still suffering from the
consequences (World Bank 2013).
While about 6 million fisherfolks live in precarious
conditions in Africa, facing poverty and food insecurity, fishery generates
millions in revenue and crucial source of nutriments (FAO 2014). Since Sierra
Leone was declared Ebola free, the National Ebola Recovery Strategy has been
integrating the rehabilitation of the fishing sector with an emphasis on
artisanal fisheries as part of a more general economic growth plan. This
rehabilitation requires all the more so rational and inclusive management that
the government is struggling to put in place despite its efforts. Indeed,
efforts led by the government for development of fisheries is despite the
stated goals directed towards the private sector and foreign investment (World
Bank 2015).
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The omnipresence of illegal fishing facilitated by the weak
governance of fishery in West Africa as well as in Sierra Leone despite
initiatives are disrupting the efforts made towards poverty reduction and food
security for vulnerable communities like small scale fisherfolks.
***
IUU is facilitated by poor governance of States, which is
itself due to their lack of manpower and financial resources but also in some
cases to laxity encouraged by corruption.
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