Monrovia Liberia – The Senate committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has begun intervening into dissatisfaction among fishermen for annual licensing fees recently announced by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority.
The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) in early January announced an adjustment in license fees for fishermen engaged in semi-industrial fishing activities.
But a NaFAA release says some semi-industrial fishermen have refused to comply with the new fees structure and have engaged the Liberian Senate for redress.
At a hearing Wednesday, Senators Henry Yallah and Darius Dillon, urged authorities of NaFAA and the fishermen to seek an amicable solution to resolve dispute over the fees.
Senator Henry Yallah, the Senate Committee Chair on fisheries, said his committee’s intervention is to bring a peaceful settlement to the fees issue between the Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority and the fishermen.
Meanwhile, Senator Darius Dillon has proposed a reduction in the new licensing fees for fishermen recently released by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA).
Senator Dillon is recommending that fishermen using motorized engines from one to 14 horse power pay 150 US dollars rather than 250 US dollars while fishermen using 15 to 40 horse power machines pay 300 US dollars rather than 475 US dollars.
At Wednesday’s hearing, Senator Dillon also told the aggrieve fishermen to be realistic as they call for the licensing fees to be reduced to 50 US dollars, urging both parties to dialogue and report to the Senate Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries committee in two weeks.
For her part, NaFAA Director General, Emma Glasco, pleaded with the senators to prevail on the fishermen to pay the adjusted fees as they are line with international best practice.
Madam Glasco said the licensing fees for fishermen in Liberia are the least in the sub region, noting that any reduction would not meet current realities.
