VZCZCXRO6650
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHFN #0258/01 1871218
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061218Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2737
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000258 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W (JHUNTER) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIS MCAP PHSA SL
SUBJECT: DON'T STOP TIL YOU GET ENOUGH: OVERFISHING, 
LIMITED CAPACITY PLAGUE SL WATERS 
 
¶1. Summary: Fishing is a huge potential source of revenue for 
Sierra Leone, as well as the primary source of protein for 
the population, yet the sector remains under-developed. The 
Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) estimates that the country 
loses at least $30 million in revenue per year to illegal and 
unreported fishing. This illicit activity, combined with the 
exploitation of fish stocks and the lack of land-based 
infrastructure for processing and export, combine to 
hamstring the sector. Sierra Leonean fisheries are divided 
into industrial and artisanal sub-sectors. Sierra Leone's 
territorial waters are rich fishing grounds for a wide 
variety of fish and shellfish, including high-value species 
such as shrimp, lobster, cuttlefish, bream and snapper. 
Despite the potential bounty, Sierra Leone struggles to carve 
out a place in the lucrative export market, and the majority 
of fisheries revenue ends up in the hands of both legal and 
illegal foreign fishing companies. End Summary. 
 
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Industrial Sector 
----------------- 
 
¶2. Industrial fishing is deep open-water fishing, and the 
multinational fleets can include trawlers, shrimpers, long 
liners, canoe support vessels, and carriers. The vessels are 
almost exclusively foreign-owned and operate in joint-venture 
arrangements with Sierra Leoneans: only the Sierra Fishing 
Company, majority held by a Sierra Leonean/Lebanese family, 
owns a portion of its own fleet. Approximately ten Sierra 
Leonean "agents" assist the foreign vessels in acquiring the 
necessary licenses and following the legal requirements for 
operation. The largest venture, the Okeky Agency, currently 
operates 18 vessels, all foreign-owned by Chinese and Korean 
entities. 
 
¶3. Industrial fish production has ranged from 185,000 tons in 
the pre-war period to 11,000 tons during the war in 1997. The 
subsector was severely impacted by the conflict, and the 
number of licensed vessels has never fully recovered. Foreign 
companies who partner with Sierra Leoneans to operate must 
pay for a license, available for 1, 6, or 12 months, which is 
scaled according to weight of vessels. They are also required 
to employ 65% African staff. The Sierra Leonean entity will 
buy whole fish or shellfish from the foreign catch, and then 
sell it in local markets. 
 
¶4. Sierra Leone does not have a dedicated fishing harbor. The 
Freetown port facility is the only public deep-water port and 
pier, and industrial trawlers can use the quays for an hourly 
fee. Security at and around the port area is insufficient to 
secure the safety of cargo. Most companies choose to avoid 
this danger, as well as the pier fee and transport costs, and 
instead unload their catch from anchored trawlers using small 
boats. This is a dangerous, time-intensive process that 
cannot happen in high seas or heavy rain. Currently, only one 
company, Sierra Fishing, has any on-shore processing 
capability, and the company also has its own pier. Since 
Freetown does not have 24-hour power, companies must run 
generators to refrigerate fish overnight. Due to this almost 
total lack of adequate cold storage and processing 
infrastructure, foreign trawlers only bring the minimum 
required percentage of catch ashore (Note: The Ministry of 
Marine Resources sets these percentages, which vary by 
species. End Note), and the rest is processed aboard the 
vessels for transshipment. 
 
¶5. The industrial sub-sector is focused on export 
(approximately 1,800 tons of fish exports were reported in 
2007), but Sierra Leonean companies are obviously constrained 
by their inability to store and process fish ashore. In 
addition, Sierra Leone is not currently certified to export 
into the lucrative EU market. The EU has given the GoSL 
permission to conduct the required safety certification, but 
the Ministry of Marine Resources states that it does not have 
the funds to perform the certification. The Sierra Fishing 
Company offered to make this process a private-public 
partnership, and fund the certification. Multiple companies 
expressed hope that Sierra Leone may have an EU certification 
number by late fall, 2009. 
 
¶6. Unlicensed foreign vessels operate relatively freely in 
Sierra Leonean waters. There is currently no Vessel 
Monitoring System or other surveillance technology in place, 
and no air assets to assist with maritime domain awareness. 
The Maritime Wing (MW) of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed 
Forces has three cutters gifted from the USCG and one gifted 
Chinese riverine frigate. The cutters are not blue water 
capable (maximum 4 days at sea) and the frigate (maximum 5 
days at sea) cannot operate in high seas due to stability 
concerns. The MW does not conduct regular patrols of the EEZ. 
 
FREETOWN 00000258  002 OF 002 
 
 
Lacking adequate platforms, fuel, and trained personnel, the 
MW will send a vessel far offshore only about once a month. 
These excursions are easily detected and avoided by foreign 
vessels with sophisticated radar technology. 
 
---------------- 
Artisanal Sector 
---------------- 
 
¶7. Artisanal fishermen use small boats and canoes to operate 
in coastal waters up to a depth of 15-45 meters, and in 
estuaries. An estimated 18,000 fishermen bring in an annual 
average catch of between 40,000 and 53,000 tons. Sierra 
Leonean fishermen belong to two main unions: the Sierra Leone 
Artisanal Fishermen's Union and the Sierra Leone Amalgamated 
Artisanal Fishermen's Union. The fish caught are mainly 
pelagic and are intended for local consumption, with only 10% 
exported. Fishermen report that a locally built boat of 
12,x5, is capable of adequately supporting up to 200 
individuals. The artisanal sector did not experience a 
significant drop in production during the war years. 
Artisanal fishing in inland waters is relatively low 
intensity, and does not nearly begin to capture the potential 
sustainable annual yield, which could be as high as 40,000 
tons. 
 
¶8. The artisanal sector contributes significantly to the 
exploitation of some species of the fish stock. There is 
widespread use of harmful fishing methods, including illegal 
small-mesh size nets that capture and kill immature fish and 
protected species. Fishing communities use shoreline 
mangroves as construction material and fuel for cooking and 
fish smoking, not realizing that these mangroves provide both 
a nursery ground and important nutrients to young fish. 
Artisanal fishermen report being forced to travel 
increasingly farther distances in search of mature, 
profitable fish stock. The increased distances are both 
expensive and dangerous: fuel and labor costs are positively 
correlated to distance, and Sierra Leone has no developed 
search and rescue mechanism. 
 
---------------- 
Further Concerns 
---------------- 
 
¶9. As previously noted, search and rescue capability is 
extremely limited in Sierra Leone. The MW is responsible for 
responding to distress calls, but industrial and artisanal 
fisherman are well aware that they are operating at their own 
risk in Sierra Leonean waters. Even if a vessel does have the 
technology to alert someone ashore of the need for help, 
mobilizing a MW asset to respond can take many hours. The 
slow response time and lack of a vessel tracking system 
combine to virtually ensure that the MW will arrive on the 
scene too late, if at all. 
 
¶10. Piracy is a growing concern in Sierra Leone, particularly 
in the northern maritime areas. Foreign trawlers have been 
attacked and robbed of both their catch and personal effects. 
Most of the pirates are reported to be from Guinea. In 
December 2008, the MW met with the Vice Admiral of the 
Guinean Navy to discuss this issue, but incidents continue to 
occur. The MW would like to be able to conduct joint patrols 
with Liberia and Guinea, but to date this has not occurred 
due to a variety of reasons. 
 
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Comment 
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¶11. The struggles within the fisheries sector highlight a 
lack of maritime capacity that is not only preventing foreign 
direct investment and hampering economic development, but 
also contributing to the fragility of security in Sierra 
Leone. Without adequate maritime domain awareness and 
response capacity, the GoSL Leone has no way to control the 
flow of people and goods - both legal and illicit - in and 
out of the country. As Post has previously reported, Sierra 
Leone is a vulnerable transshipment country for narcotics, 
arms, and people. Supporting fisheries sector development, to 
include modernization of port facilities and port security, 
as well as surveillance and response training for the MW, 
will allow the sector to bring much-needed revenue into the 
country. It will also increase the GoSL's capacity to monitor 
and control activity within their land and sea borders. End 
Comment. 
FEDZER