Policy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Sierra Leone.

This Policy focuses on the opportunities to realise the full contribution of the fisheries sector to economic development of the country through: establishment and management of marine protected areas, development of territorial use rights, strengthening capacities to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), implementation of adaptive strategies to control coastal erosion. This Policy is structured as follows: 1) Fisheries Policy Development in Sierra Leone. 2) Arrangement of the Policy. 3) Policy goals and areas, including: conservation and sustainable use of resources; sustainable artisanal fisheries management; sustainable aquaculture development; competitive fish trade and marketing; fisheries on the high seas; regional and sub-regional cooperation; human capital development in fisheries and aquaculture; cross-cutting issues. 4) Summary of overall outcomes of the Policy. 5) Principles and values. 6) Conclusion.
The main goal of the Policy is the strengthening of ecologically sustainable and economically viable fisheries, with secure ownership rights and social stability following responsible governance procedures. According to the different areas, the Policy identifies the following outcomes and objectives: biological sustainability, equitable allocation of fisheries resources and conservation of living aquatic stocks and habitats restoration; strengthening the fisheries contribution to poverty alleviation, food and nutrition security, quality and safety of fish products in compliance with international trade standards, sustainable development of rural communities; expansion of inland fisheries and inland water bodies for aquaculture; increasing opportunities for export of fish resources; increasing cooperation on high sea fisheries management, with intergovernmental collaboration on transboundary matters; creation of employment opportunities; strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerabilities to disaster risks and climate change in the fisheries; improving working conditions and access to resources for women and young people.