IPNEWS: The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) has launched a two-day training workshop for 12 Liberian journalists aimed at improving media coverage of the country’s fisheries sector and promoting greater transparency and accountability in the management of marine resources.
The training, held at D’ Calabash Hotel in Monrovia on Wednesday, Thursday; August 5-6, 2026, is being conducted under the Oceans5-funded project, “Creating Greater Fisheries Transparency in Liberia.”
The initiative brings together journalists from newspapers, radio, television, and online media to enhance their understanding of fisheries governance, illegal fishing, and environmental reporting.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, EJF Program Officer Augustine Fayiah said the workshop was organized to equip journalists with the skills needed to effectively report on fisheries-related issues, noting that the sector has historically received limited media attention despite its importance to Liberia’s economy and food security.
Fayiah said the training encourages journalists to focus on critical issues affecting the fisheries sector, including illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, human rights abuses at sea, and the protection of Liberia’s Inshore Exclusion Zone (IEZ), which is reserved exclusively for artisanal fishermen.
Also addressing the participants, EJF Communications and Media Officer Abraham N. Nyorkor said the training was designed to provide journalists with practical knowledge and investigative reporting skills to better understand the impact of IUU fishing and expose issues affecting Liberia’s marine resources and coastal communities.
According to Nyorkor, participants are being trained to identify fisheries-related issues of public interest, distinguish facts from opinion, produce accurate and ethical human-interest stories, and promote accountability, transparency, and sustainable fisheries management through responsible journalism.
He added that the training also introduces journalists to the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, an international framework aimed at improving openness and combating illegal fishing worldwide.
EJF noted that although Liberia’s fisheries sector makes a significant contribution to national revenue, employment, and food security, public awareness remains low because of limited media coverage.
The organization believes stronger investigative journalism will help expose challenges within the sector while supporting reforms and improved governance.
The Foundation recalled remarks made by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai during the Liberia National Fisheries and Investment Conference (Kpongama 2026) in March.
Where he described illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing as “a theft on the future of our children,” emphasizing the need for stronger action to protect Liberia’s marine resources.
Representing the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Director of Research and Statistics Austine Saye Wehye commended the journalists for showing interest in reporting on fisheries issues.
He also praised EJF and its funding partner, Oceans5, for supporting efforts to strengthen transparency and public awareness in the sector.
Wehye encouraged journalists to take advantage of the training by producing more stories on fisheries governance and development.
He assured participants that NaFAA remains open to working with the media and providing access to information, adding that the Authority’s leadership is committed to transparency and public engagement.
As part of the training, journalists participated in a field visit to the West Point fishing community, where they interacted with artisanal fishermen, fishmongers, and processors to better understand the realities facing coastal communities.
The exercise was intended to provide participants with first-hand experience, generate story ideas, and apply investigative reporting techniques learned during the workshop.
During the field visit, Fanti Sea Chief Kofi Kwansan welcomed the journalists and expressed appreciation to the government for reducing annual canoe registration fees from US$470 under previous administrations to US$350.
Having spent more than 30 years in the fishing industry, he said fishing communities continue to work closely with NaFAA to improve the sector and ensure compliance with fisheries regulations.
Fish processor Comfort Dickson also shared the challenges confronting women in the industry, explaining that the rainy season has reduced fish catches and affected household incomes.
She said she now sells tea and bread to supplement her earnings, adding that fish processing remains her family’s primary source of income for paying school fees and meeting basic needs.
Another fishmonger, Shallor Weah, described the fisheries business as a source of economic opportunity but said traders often face financial pressures while supporting fishermen during periods of illness or hardship.
She noted that strong relationships between fishmongers and fishermen are essential to sustaining the livelihoods of coastal communities.
EJF urged participating journalists to ensure that all stories produced from the training are factual, evidence-based, balanced, and free from sensationalism.
The organization emphasized that responsible journalism can play a critical role in promoting transparency, protecting Liberia’s marine resources, and safeguarding the livelihoods of thousands of Liberians who depend on the fisheries sector.
