National Export Strategy Fish and Crustaceans Export Strategy.

This Fish and Crustaceans Export Strategy is a sectoral nation-wide document aiming at both revitalizing the sector to meet domestic demand which is currently being met through imports and developing the Liberian export competitiveness. In other words, this Strategy would like to ensure that growth enabled through the implementation of its Plan of Action will maintain the fragile balance between fulfilling food security needs and increased exports.
In order to realize the export potential and increase the export competitiveness of the Liberian fish and crustaceans sector, the following Vision has been adopted: "A viable sector that will boost sustainable livelihoods and export competence among small and medium-sized enterprises across the sector value chain". This Vision will be realized by the following strategic objectives (i) boost productive capacity; (ii) improve infrastructure and the overall business environment; (iii) improve the institutional support framework; (iv) facilitate adequate access to trade information and in-market support to potential and existing operators; and (v) support the sector’s development objectives of gender equity and environmental growth and stability.
To help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, the Strategy aims at (i) developing the sector to make important socioeconomic contributions in terms of poverty prevention and fulfilling food security needs; (ii) protecting marine and inland fishery resources, recognizing and protecting the criticality of the sector to maintain employment and food security for poor population; and (iii) implementing together with FAO the Food Security through Commercialization Project.
In order to make fisheries more productive and sustainable, main interventions are directed to (i) strengthen infrastructures to create more efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve quality of production; (ii) curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) activity; (iii) identify needs and build initial capacities in the Liberian inland fishing and aquaculture sector; (iv) strengthen research and development capability and human capital development; and (v) ensure that sector operations maintain environmental balance.
Rural poverty reduction shall be addressed through extending the national energy grid to rural locations to improve ability of enterprises to store and process catches. It also calls for intervening in the bank system to allow rural Liberians to open accounts more easily as well as facilitate access to finance to artisan operators.
To enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, the document seeks for (i) improving in-market support in target markets; (ii) developing the domestic market in line with the emerging capacities of the sector; (iii) improving access to trade information and market intelligence; (iv) support decision-making ability and opportunities for female actors along the value chain; and (v) provide strengthening support to the Liberia Artisanal Fishermen Association (LAFA).
As for the Governance, main action proposed is the establishment of a Liberian Export Council (LEC) in order to facilitate the public–private partnership in elaborating, coordinating and implementing the NES in order to optimize the allocation of both resources and efforts across the wide spectrum of stakeholders.