Liberia is at risk of facing severe sanctions from the European Union (EU) over its lax enforcement of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing regulations. The EU has issued a stern warning to the country, stating that it risks receiving a “red card” if significant improvements are not made to address the growing concerns in the fisheries sector.
The warning came during a recent meeting between the EU and the Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Madam Emma Metieh Glassco, in Italy. The Head of Unit, Roberto Cesari, stressed the gravity of the situation, citing evidence of mismanagement and violations within Liberia’s fisheries sector, particularly involving NaFAA.
The EU’s meeting with NaFAA officials was held on the sidelines of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Committee on Fisheries (COFI) meeting, where the EU sought to evaluate Liberia’s progress in lifting its current “yellow card” status. The yellow card serves as a warning, indicating that the country is not doing enough to control IUU fishing.
Failure to address the EU’s concerns could escalate to a red card, a severe measure that could result in trade sanctions, including a ban on Liberian seafood products entering the EU market. The potential consequences were made clear to the Liberian delegation, but the meeting did not yield any fruitful outcomes.
The EU representatives expressed concerns over the NaFAA’s handling of a recent fisheries violation case involving the merchant vessel Wei Ning.
The vessel was fined only $100,000 for the violations, instead of the $175,000 mandated by Liberia’s Fisheries Law. The Liberian delegation failed to adequately explain the discrepancy in the fines, leading to further scrutiny.
Also, the EU team noted significant procedural lapses in the letter sent by NaFAA to Wei Fong Shipping Ltd., acknowledging the company’s request to reduce the fine. The decision to lower the fine was made unilaterally, without the necessary consent from relevant maritime authorities, undermining the rule of law and raising concerns about the integrity of NaFAA’s enforcement practices.
