By Alfred Koroma
The U.S. Ambassador to Freetown, Bryan Hunt, has emphasized that Sierra Leone’s development hinges on its ability to protect its natural resources.
Speaking at the inaugural African Maritime Gender Network (AMGN) meeting on Gender Considerations in Maritime Security, Ambassador Hunt highlighted the critical issue of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which significantly affects Africa’s marine resources.
The two-day meeting in Freetown gathered participants from various African countries, including Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Gabon, Togo, Liberia, and Namibia to discuss challenges posed by IUU fishing.
Illegal fishing is a complex challenge faced by the marine ecosystems of these countries and other parts of the world.
According to a 2022 report by the Financial Transparency Coalition, illegal fishing ranks as the third most lucrative natural resource crime globally, after timber and mining. It accounts for one-fifth of global fisheries catches, valued at up to $23.5 billion annually.
West Africa, deemed the global epicenter of IUU fishing, accounts for 40% of these activities. The report states that 48.9% of industrial and semi-industrial vessels engaged in illegal fishing operate in Africa.
In Sierra Leone, Local fishermen have long decried the impact of illegal fishing by foreign vessels, which undermines their primary source of livelihood and costs the country millions of dollars annually.
Ambassador Hunt said the AMGN meeting on Gender Considerations in Maritime Security provides an opportunity for Sierra Leonean officials to talk with officials from other African countries to understand what is happening in the Gulf of Guinea along the Atlantic Ocean.
He underscored the importance of collaborative efforts among African nations to combat IUU fishing, saying, “A ship doesn’t just fish illegally in Sierra Leone—it likely operates across the entire region. The more African states share information, the better they can track and address these vessels’ activities.”
He reiterated the U.S. commitment to supporting Sierra Leone’s marine sector, aiming to build its capacity to monitor and penalize illegal activities effectively.
“We want to ensure the Sierra Leone government can prevent illegal activities, hold perpetrators accountable, and impose real penalties,” Hunt stated. “There is no way Sierra Leone can achieve sustainable economic development if it cannot protect its natural resources, including those off its coast.”
Deputy Commander for Civil-Military Engagement at the U.S. Africa Command, Ambassador Robert Scott, emphasized the holistic nature of maritime security. He noted that fisheries contribute 10% of jobs in Sierra Leone and 15% of its GDP.
“Every fish taken illegally diminishes the country’s future potential,” he warned. “If we fail to collaborate and act decisively, we are jeopardizing future generations’ opportunities.”
