Feed Salone Strategy for the Fisheries and Marine Resources Sectors in Sierra Leone.

This Feed Salone Strategy for the Fisheries and Marine Resources Sectors in Sierra Leone presents a vision and a ten year Strategy for Sierra Leone’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors. This Strategy, covering fisheries and aquaculture in marine and freshwater environments, is a foundational step towards reaching the nation’s goal of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. It is the starting point to develop detailed implementation plans to deliver the identified priorities in an inclusive and transparent way and to implement the country’s “Feed Salone” Agenda. The Vision of the Strategy is to make Sierra Leone a regional leader in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, setting a benchmark for ecological stewardship, economic efficiency, and innovation while promoting a prosperous blue economy that directly benefits the people of Sierra Leone through sustainable livelihoods, food security, and inclusive economic growth. In support of the Vision, this Strategy has identified the following national priorities for the fisheries and aquaculture sector between 2025 and 2035: sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development and management; stronger and more inclusive fisheries governance and transparency; increased state revenue from the fisheries and aquaculture sector; strengthened employment, livelihoods, and food security; enhanced climate resilience and ecosystem health. The Strategy aims at achieving the following strategic objectives: assessment of Sierra Leone’s fisheries and aquaculture resources and potential to benefit the nation; management and enforcement of Sierra Leone’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors to ensure social, economic, and environmental sustainability, and to prioritise national interests and benefits; unlocking the potential to increase national wealth from fisheries and aquaculture.
The Strategy also defines how the blue economy can drive development and create jobs for the youth, facilitating the smooth transition of young people from education to employment; and describes the guiding principles of the Strategy: transition to ecosystem-based adaptive management of fisheries and aquaculture; application of the precautionary approach; inclusive and participatory governance; and equity and transparency. The Strategy details the following relevant supporting activities: defining a data collection process that directly supports the stock assessment programme; increasing the efficiency of data collection and use by fisheries managers, regulators, and scientists; evaluation of Sierra Leone's aquaculture potential; conducting a frame survey of the artisanal fleet to deliver a robust baseline that can be used to monitor changes in the fleet’s structure and distribution; building the capacity of community management association to support monitoring, control and enforcement of relevant laws and regulations governing fishing activities within zones and protected areas; determination of total allowable catches for priority stocks of marine resources; strengthening the capacity of community management associations to collect data and participate in fisheries management; developing marine spatial plans that include fishing zones and marine aquaculture development areas in line with Sierra Leone’s Blue Economy Strategic Framework and National Action Plan; increasing the quality and nutritional value of catches.