World Bank Steps Up Review of Liberia’s Flagship Fisheries Programme.

A World Bank Implementation Support Mission is currently taking place in Monrovia as part of ongoing oversight of the Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project, one of the country’s most important investments in food security, jobs and coastal economic growth.

Led by World Bank Task Team Leader Ngao Mubanga, the mission is focused on reviewing progress, strengthening technical delivery and ensuring that planned activities under the project are completed on time and to the required standard. The project is being implemented by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, commonly known as NaFAA.

According to an official statement, the mission is assessing a range of priority investments that span infrastructure development, fisheries value chains, institutional strengthening and private sector participation. Among the major activities under review are preparations for a modern fisheries complex, progress under the aquapreneurs incubation programme and renovation works at NaFAA’s regional headquarters in Harper, Maryland County.

The aquapreneurs initiative stands out as a key livelihood programme under the project. It is expected to conclude with the competitive allocation of fiberglass fishing canoes, aimed at improving safety at sea, modernising artisanal fishing methods and boosting productivity for small scale fishers.

“The objective of this mission is to ensure that implementation remains aligned with agreed standards and that project benefits are delivered efficiently to Liberians who depend on the fisheries sector for their livelihoods,”  Mubanga said, underlining the World Bank’s focus on results driven development.

The mission is also reviewing efforts to establish a dedicated call centre to strengthen the Fisheries Information Management System, which supports data based decision making and monitoring of fishing activities. Alongside this, progress is being made on a Public Private Partnership framework to attract private investment into fisheries and aquaculture infrastructure.

Other components under review include construction of a 1.2 kilometre access road, as well as development of a 10 Year Fisheries Strategic and Investment Plan for 2026 to 2035. The plan is expected to be launched at the National Fisheries Investment Conference on March 30 and 31, 2026, by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.

During the mission, the World Bank team will visit canoe manufacturing sites, meet beneficiaries of the Women’s Empowerment Grant Programme and inspect the Klay Fish Hatchery in Bomi County to ensure quality, community impact and environmental compliance.

“These field engagements are critical,” a NaFAA official noted. “They allow both the Bank and the implementing agency to directly hear from beneficiaries and ensure that investments are meeting community needs while respecting environmental standards.”

Fishmeal plant strengthens west coast fisheries.

The South African government has welcomed a major R170 million investment by the African Pioneer Group into a new fishmeal plant at Sandy Point Harbour in St Helena Bay, Western Cape.

The facility is set to boost local and export supply chains by producing a range of fish products and strengthening the small pelagic sector’s value chain.

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Willie Aucamp,said, “This facility is so much more than an expansion of processing capacity. It is a strategic intervention in the small pelagic value chain that strengthens domestic beneficiation, enhances operational efficiency, and positions South Africa to extract greater economic value from each tonne of fish harvested,” he said. He added that the project “strengthens local opportunities without increasing pressure on the resource base” and represents investment in communities and the future of South Africa’s fishing industry.

Aucamp emphasised and added, “The more than R170 million investment represented by this facility contributes directly to sustainable industrial growth in a priority coastal node,” he said, highlighting the partnership between government, science and the fishing industry as central to sustainable marine resource management.

The small pelagic sector plays a crucial role in coastal employment, food security, animal feed supply chains, and export earnings, especially along the West Coast. However, it is also highly vulnerable to environmental variability and climate-driven shifts. The Minister pointed to recent scientific assessments showing major fluctuations in biomass and recruitment, particularly the record-low anchovy recruitment in 2025 and persistently low sardine populations.

In response, the sector has been urged to diversify fishing efforts towards more abundant species such as round herring, which has shown strong biomass performance. “This species now plays a critical buffering role in maintaining throughput in the pelagic sector during periods when sardine and anchovy are constrained,” the Minister said. He explained that investments like the Sandy Point fishmeal plant support resilience by enabling efficient processing of a wider species mix, reducing waste, improving turnaround times, and stabilising supply to downstream industries.

Overall, the plant is seen as a strategic move towards sustainable industrialisation and strengthened marine beneficiation, aligning with the Oceans Economy Master Plan and the government’s industrial policy framework.

Tanzania is enhancing Lake Victoria’s ecosystem. (Image credit: Presswire)

Tanzania has taken decisive steps to limit industrial participation in fishing on Lake Victoria, signalling growing regional urgency over the sustainability of Africa’s largest freshwater lake and the millions of livelihoods tied to its survival.

The move reflects mounting concern that large-scale commercial operations are accelerating environmental degradation while marginalising small-scale fishing communities.

The Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Bashiru Ally Kakurwa, announced that industries will no longer be permitted to engage directly in fishing activities on the lake. He warned that unchecked commercial practices are rapidly depleting fish stocks and threatening the long-term viability of artisanal fisheries.

Speaking during a working visit to the Kagera Region, where he inspected a Nile perch processing facility in Muleba District, Kakurwa emphasised the need for immediate and coordinated intervention to protect Lake Victoria’s fragile ecosystem.

“Encroachment on the 200-metre buffer zone by industries and farmers, together with the use of illegal fishing nets that capture juvenile fish, continues to degrade Lake Victoria’s resources,” he said.

Lake Victoria is the world’s second-largest freshwater lake and a cornerstone of East Africa’s blue economy. It supports the livelihoods of more than 47 million people across Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda, providing food security, employment, transport routes, water supply and energy. The lake also plays a critical role in climate regulation and biodiversity conservation across the region.

The fishery is among the most productive freshwater systems globally, generating more than 1.5 million tonnes of fish annually with an estimated market value of $1.1 billion, according to regional figures. Beyond fisheries, Lake Victoria supplies water for domestic use, irrigation and industrial production, making it central to economic growth in East Africa.

Yet environmental experts caution that the lake is under escalating pressure. Wetland loss, deforestation in the catchment area, pollution from untreated urban and industrial wastewater, agricultural runoff and overfishing have steadily weakened the lake’s ecological resilience. Rapid population growth, urban expansion and rising economic activity are further intensifying demand for water and fish resources.

Kakurwa said Tanzania would tighten enforcement of existing fisheries regulations, including safeguarding shoreline buffer zones and cracking down on destructive fishing gear. He added that collaboration with neighbouring countries would be strengthened to ensure the lake is managed as a shared regional asset.

In 2025, East African Community (EAC) member states reaffirmed their commitment to the Protocol for Sustainable Development, pledging stronger cooperation on climate action and increased investment in conservation efforts across the Lake Victoria basin.

Officials say enhanced regional coordination will be essential to balancing economic development with environmental protection, ensuring Lake Victoria remains productive and resilient for future generations.

The programme offers interest-free loans to organised fishing groups.(Image credit: Presswire)

Fish cage farming on Lake Victoria is gaining momentum as a powerful driver of income growth, sustainable aquaculture and environmental recovery in Tanzania’s Lake Zone.

Farmers involved in a government-supported programme say the floating cages are not only improving household earnings but also unintentionally restoring natural fish breeding grounds that were severely degraded by decades of illegal and unregulated fishing.

According to local fish farmers, the cages function as protected aquatic sanctuaries. Fishing activities are restricted around the installations, allowing wild fish species to gather, shelter and reproduce undisturbed. The structures attract fish seeking safety and food, creating ideal conditions for spawning and fingerling development.

“The cages automatically create natural hatchery grounds,” said Mselikale Mkiju, secretary of the Chembaya Fish Farm Group in Nyakaliro ward, Buchosa district. “Wild fish come to hide under the cages because they are protected, and they benefit from the feed that sinks from above.”

Mkiju explained that leftover feed beneath the cages provides a steady food source, while the cage mesh allows naturally bred fingerlings to enter and grow safely alongside farmed fish.

“They are very small, about 0.1 grams, compared with around 0.3 grams for the farmed fish, so they easily penetrate the cages,” he said.

The Chembaya group is among beneficiaries of a national fish cage farming initiative launched by President Samia Suluhu Hassan and implemented by the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) in partnership with the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries. The programme offers interest-free loans to organised fishing groups, aiming to modernise the fisheries sector, formalise jobs and expand opportunities for young people and women.

Beyond environmental benefits, farmers say naturally occurring fingerlings have become an unexpected commercial advantage. The wild fish grow faster due to abundant feed, increasing harvest volumes and overall profitability. Some farmers believe the colourful fingerlings could even support eco-tourism around Lake Victoria.

However, challenges remain. Farmers are calling for stronger security around cage sites, improved supply chains for feed and fingerlings, better insurance coverage and greater involvement of local fisheries extension officers. Delays in input delivery and uncompensated losses have strained some groups.

Despite these obstacles, demand for farmed fish continues to surge, with standing orders from neighbouring countries such as Kenya and Rwanda far exceeding current production. As cage farming expands, stakeholders say the key will be balancing rapid growth with efficient management while safeguarding what many now see as an unexpected but vital boost to Lake Victoria’s natural ecology.