Illegal fishing threatens Sierra Leone’s fish, seafood economy

SIERRA LEONE – Sierra Leone’s fisheries sector is facing severe damage as illegal, foreign-owned fishing fleets continue to plunder the country’s valuable marine resources. 

Over the past 40 years, foreign vessels have exploited Sierra Leone’s once-thriving fisheries, undermining the nation’s economy and endangering livelihoods.

Fishing plays a significant role in Sierra Leone, contributing about 12% of the nation’s GDP and providing the primary source of protein for 80% of its population. 

Around 500,000 people are employed in the fishing industry, making it a vital part of daily life in a country of approximately eight million people.

However, these benefits are under threat as illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing operations, many of them foreign-owned, continue to exploit the nation’s waters. 

These vessels often operate in exclusion zones reserved for local fishermen, severely affecting the sector’s sustainability. 

The government’s attempts to tackle the problem have proven largely ineffective.

In 2020, President Julius Maada Bio revealed that illegal fishing costs Sierra Leone an estimated US$50 million annually, with the majority of the catch being exported to Asia. 

Meanwhile, the legal fishing industry contributes only US$18 million to the country’s economy. 

The sector faces widespread corruption and mismanagement, with foreign fleets continuing to take advantage of Sierra Leone’s coastlines.

The situation is exacerbated by sophisticated techniques used by illegal operators to evade detection. 

These include fishing in restricted areas, falsifying catch data, and switching vessel registrations to avoid being tracked. 

Chinese vessels are identified as the primary offenders in illegal fishing activities, but the government has been reluctant to take action, possibly due to its strong ties with China.

Local fishermen, frustrated by the lack of government intervention, have begun taking matters into their own hands. 

Fishermen like Abdul Kamara, from the Funkia community near Freetown, have resorted to attacking foreign vessels in an attempt to defend their resources.

Sierra Leone’s aquaculture and inland fisheries production continue to be important, but the future of the industry remains uncertain as illegal fishing persists.

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