Africa-Press – Liberia. The two-day National Fisheries Investment Conference came to a climax on Tuesday, March 31 with delegates at what stood out to be Liberia’s biggest fisheries forum affirming their collective commitment to unlocking the full potential of Liberia’s blue economy.
Organized by National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), ‘Kpongama’ 2026 was held under the theme, “Unlocking the Blue Horizons: The Future of Fisheries and the Blue Economy.”
In a Communiqué released at the end of the conference, the Conference calls for urgent investment in fisheries data systems and digital monitoring frameworks to enable evidence-based decision-making and real-time oversight of the sector.
Delegates stressed the need for the strengthening of scientific collaboration among national, regional, and international institutions, including academia, to enhance research capacity and innovation.
Participants also recommended the deployment of satellite monitoring technologies to improve marine protection, deter illegal fishing, and safeguard Liberia’s maritime resources.
In addition, the Conference emphasizes the need to establish robust and enforceable policy frameworks to ensure effective governance and compliance across the fisheries sector.
The Conference further identified local fish feed production, aquaculture expansion, and the development of fisheries infrastructure, including cold chain systems, processing facilities, and landing sites, as priority investment areas critical to unlocking value across the fisheries sector.
Participants further underscored the importance of promoting circular economy models that enhance sustainability, optimize resource use, and reduce pressure on wild fish stocks while supporting long-term sector resilience.
The Conference highlighted sovereign Blue Bonds, credit guarantee schemes, and fiscal protection mechanisms for small-scale actors as key financing instruments necessary to unlock capital within the fisheries sector.
In this light, it further affirmed that a well-financed blue economy has the potential to drive employment creation, stimulate GDP growth, and accelerate industrial development through strong value chain and market linkages.
The Conference calls on the Government to increase budgetary allocations to the fisheries and blue economy sector and to operationalize a comprehensive National Blue Economy Strategy within twelve (12) months.
It further urges the strengthening the technical capacity of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) and its national data systems, as well as the enactment of enabling legislation to support public-private partnerships and innovative financing instruments.
At the same time, development partners are being urged to provide sustained technical and financial support to strengthen capacity within the sector.
They are also called upon to provide technical assistance to the government in developing and issuing a sovereign Blue Bond and to facilitate international and South-South knowledge exchange.
The private sector is urged to invest in aquaculture, fish processing, and critical infrastructure, while actively engaging in public-private partnerships that drive innovation and scale within the sector.
Academic institutions are also encouraged to reform curricula to expand fisheries and blue economy education and to collaborate with government and industry in advancing research, data generation, and evidence-based policy development.
In furtherance of enhancing growth in the fisheries sector, civil society organizations and fishing communities are called upon to promote sustainable fishing practices and to actively participate in governance and stakeholder engagement processes to ensure accountability and inclusiveness.
“We reaffirm our commitment to a transformed, sustainably managed blue economy and call on all stakeholders to implement these commitments through measurable, time-bound actions,” added the communique that was prepared by a team of rapporteur and read by Lead Lead Moderator, Dr. Amadou Tall.
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