A two-day Fisheries Committee for the West and Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) sponsored workshop has ended in Liberia with stakeholders from several government ministries and agencies brainstorming on how to prevent and eliminate force labor and human trafficking in the fisheries sector.

During the workshop, the National Project Coordinator of the International Labor Organization, (ILO) Ghana Project Emmanuel Kwame Mensah called for increased and sustained awareness among fisheries nations to prevent and eliminate forced labor and human trafficking in the fishing industry.

Mr Mensah pointed out that with increased awareness and sensitization across local fishing communities on decent work and forced labor, fishers and all other workers would be saved from exploitation and abuse at sea.

“the more we raise awareness and sensitize our local communities on decent work and forced labor the better we are to protect our fishers and all other workers from exploitation and abuse”.

Moreover, the National Consultations workshop was centered on the draft Protocol on Labor Standards for Crew and the elimination of forced labor on Fishing Vessels in the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) Region.

Also, during the workshop, the Fisheries Committee for the West and Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), Communications Officer, Kofi Taylor-Hayford reiterated that the regional fisheries body over the years created increased awareness on labor issues amongst its member states.

Mr Hayford noted that FCWC had developed a protocol to address labor standards in fisheries in the region, established a regional working group on labor standards in fisheries and developed a deepened understanding of the nexus of fisheries and labor.

In another development, the Deputy Director General for Technical Services at the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority has disclosed that most Artisanal Fishermen are not adhering to the issue of safety at sea despite the government-free distribution of several Life jackets across fishing communities.

It can be recalled, in January of 2023, the government of Liberia through the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority distributed several Lifejackets free of charge to fishermen across the nine coastal counties to enhance their safety at sea.

But making remarks over the weekend at the end of the two-day FCWC-International Labor Organization National Consultation Workshop Hon. William Y. Boeh mentioned that several fishermen have abandoned the usages of the free lifejackets when fishing.

Hon. Boeh said these fishermen requested the government through NaFAA to provide them lifejackets when some of their colleagues were dying at sea due to the lack of lifejackets but they are now abandoning the lifejackets, he said their actions indicate the lack of interest in their own lives.

At the same time, Hon. Boeh is calling on the Liberia authorities of the Artisanal Fishermen Association (LAFA), the local pressure group of fishermen in Liberia to encourage their members to ensure the regular usage of the Lifejackets when going at sea.

Meanwhile, at the end of the workshop, the Participants concluded on developing a tripartite agreement for the various segments of the fisheries sector to enable effective social dialogue through collective bargaining. They also agreed that in the case of the small-scale fisheries (SSF), three separate unions need to be established, one for the Crew members, the second for the Canoe Owners and the third for the government regulating agency (NaFAA), this was later established.

They also recommended that Liberia Maritime Authrity, LiMA and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, NaFAA work with Seafarer to obtain the seaman book.

They also added that fishermen should be empowered, a formal and informed social security be introduced for fishermen, employer ensure that all sailors have safety equipment and ensure that this safety equipment is regularly used and that NaFAA provide a reporting template with areas for compliant for fishermen.

Moreover, the participants noted a WhatsApp platform/a National Working Group should be established and both Maritime and NaFAA to ensure the provision of good accommodation onboard fishing vessels for crews, vessel should be operated by an experienced captain and the crew list should be well-documented.

They also recommended that all fishers need an agreement and be given more time to read and understand, Fishers should be given enough resting time, and stakeholder engagement to ensure good hygiene practices onboard vessels, and both the Maritime Authority and NaFAA should collaborate to ensure proper training for fishers on board vessel and the Liberia Artisanal Fishermen Association, LAFA and the Core Management Association, CMA ensure that safety equipment issued to small scale fishers are used.

The two-day workshop brought together Liberia Artisanal Fishermen Association, LAFA, the Seaman Union/Fisheries Section, the Ministry of Commerce and the Core Management Association, CMA. The workshop was held from August 1-2, 2024 at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor.

Participants from the Ministries of Labor and Gender, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, the Liberia Maritime Authority, the Liberia Coast Guard/Ministry of Defense and Fisheries Community.