Monrovia-Liberia is taking center stage in West Africa’s push to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as the nation’s fisheries chief leads key regional engagements aimed at strengthening transparency and governance across the Gulf of Guinea.
By Willie N. Tokpah
Since taking over, J. Cyrus Saygbe, Sr., Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) and current Chair of the Fisheries Committee of the West and Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), has led high-level talks in Tema, Ghana, with fellow member states and strategic partners to accelerate collective action on sustainable ocean governance.
The engagement, hosted at the Fisheries Committee of the West and Central Gulf of Guinea Secretariat, brought together delegates from six coastal nations, Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire, at a crucial time when the region faces growing pressure to curb maritime crimes and restore depleted fish stocks.
“Liberia is proud to lead this regional effort as we work together to strengthen fisheries governance, promote transparency, and protect the livelihoods of millions who depend on marine resources,” said Director General Saygbe.
At the heart of the discussions was the upcoming 16th Fisheries Committee of the West and Central Gulf of Guinea Conference of Ministers, to be hosted by Nigeria this November, where strategic decisions will be made on joint surveillance, data sharing, and enforcement across regional waters.
Saygbe held constructive talks with Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, as both countries emphasized alignment in policy direction and preparation for the Ministerial Summit.
The engagements were part of the EU-funded West Africa Sustainable Ocean Program (WASOP), which supports regional efforts to build resilient and accountable fisheries institutions.
Under Liberia’s chairmanship, the Fisheries Committee of the West and Central Gulf of Guinea is emphasizing results-based collaboration and technical support to enhance regional capacity.
In a similar development, Liberia and fellow Fisheries Committee of the West and Central Gulf of Guinea members also held consultations with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources at ECOWAS to advance a broader West African approach to fisheries data collection and enforcement against IUU fishing.
Push to Lift EU Yellow Card Gains Momentum
For Liberia, the Tema engagement was also an opportunity to accelerate diplomatic and technical efforts to lift the European Union Yellow Card sanction, imposed in 2017 due to IUU fishing violations.
The Yellow Card serves as a warning that could eventually lead to trade sanctions if adequate reforms are not made.
“We continue to work closely with the European Union and our regional partners to address every compliance issue,” Saygbe told reporters.
“Our commitment is firm, and we are optimistic that the Yellow Card will soon be lifted.”
Since the imposition of the Yellow Card, Liberia has embarked on sweeping reforms in fisheries monitoring, vessel tracking, legal frameworks, and port inspections, progress that EU officials have acknowledged in recent assessments.
Liberia’s Rising Leadership in Marine Governance
Liberia’s active leadership on regional fisheries reform is being welcomed across West Africa, where weak enforcement, illegal industrial fleets, and inadequate data have historically undermined local fishing communities and marine biodiversity.
Environmental groups and artisanal fishing cooperatives across Liberia have praised NaFAA’s renewed energy under Saygbe’s leadership, urging continued investment in community-based surveillance and fisherfolk capacity building.
As Liberia present its reform milestones at the upcoming Fisheries Committee of the West and Central Gulf of Guinea Ministerial Conference, expectations are high that the country can both regain international credibility and become a model for transparent and sustainable fisheries management in the region.
The Fisheries Committee of the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) is a regional fisheries body comprising six West African nations: Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo.
It promotes cooperative fisheries management and the sustainable use of shared marine resources.
