EJF Liberia

EJF Liberia Working to secure legal and sustainable fisheries in Liberia.

28/04/2026

🐢 Every turtle that we protect strengthens the health of our oceans.

Last week, our turtle patrollers saved and released 43 tiny Olive Ridley turtles back to the ocean 👏

Turtles graze on seagrass, maintain coral reefs, and regulate jellyfish, which ensures healthy fisheries and habitats.

However, they are under serious threat of poaching, discarded fishing nets, habitat loss, and global heating. Our turtle conservation project aims to combat these threats and bring communities together to protect the environment.

Thank you to the patrollers and community members that help us ensure that more turtles return to the ocean!

The National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority Republic of Liberia

21/04/2026

Just a few days after safely guiding 56 turtles back to the ocean, EJF’s dedicated turtle patrollers have once again made an incredible save. On April 17, they rescued 30 green turtle hatchlings and released them into the sea at Togbaklee Beach, Grand Kru County. Their continued vigilance along nesting beaches is more than just routine work - it is essential.

16/04/2026

🐢 The earliest days of the green sea turtle’s life are the most vulnerable.

Many never make it to the ocean because of overwhelming threats from predators, poachers, and habitat loss.

That’s why EJF patrollers are on the ground, touring the nesting beaches in Grand Kru County to protect endangered marine species.

This week on the shores of Chlinakalee and Sobobo, we rescued 50 tiny hatchlings and 6 Olive Ridley hatchlings and guided them safely back to the sea.

Healthy turtles ensure healthy oceans. Thank you to the hard work of our turtle patrollers 👏

The National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority Republic of Liberia

Environment Protection Agency - EPA

Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network

07/04/2026

🐢 Turtle patrol update 🥚

Last week on the beach of Togbaklee in Grand Kru County, a poacher was forced to flee after seeing EJF turtle patrollers in the distance. He left behind 150 green turtle eggs, which were exposed in a shallow hole he had dug.

This could have been another silent loss to the sea, but thanks to the constant vigilance of EJF patrollers, we were able to protect these eggs.

🐟 “IUU is a theft on the future of our children.” - H.E. Joseph Boakai Sr., President of LiberiaSmall-scale fishing com...
01/04/2026

🐟 “IUU is a theft on the future of our children.” - H.E. Joseph Boakai Sr., President of Liberia

Small-scale fishing communities are the backbone of West Africa’s economy, yet they are under serious threat, as illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing pushes fish populations towards collapse.

All hope is not lost: Important steps are being taken by Liberia and Ghana’s leaders to address this serious issue.

This week at the Liberia National Fisheries Investment Conference, we were encouraged to see H.E. Joseph Boakai Sr., President of Liberia and Hon. Emelia Arthur, Ghana’s Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, express their commitment to working together to build a blue economy with sustainability, science, and social inclusion at its heart.

EJF’s expertise on sustainable fisheries management is key to this action. At the event, EJF West Africa Regional Manager Cephas Asare presented on how sustainable fisheries and community-led financing, such as Village Savings and Loans Associations, can support coastal communities, reduce poverty, and support women’s leadership.

“The true wealth of the blue economy is not that we take from the ocean, but what we build for our people because of it”, said Hon. Emelia Arthur, Ghana’s Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture.

We look forward to continuing our work with both Liberia and Ghana’s governments to support their efforts towards sustainable, legal and ethical fisheries.

🐢 Turtle patrol update ⚠️Recently, our Turtle Patrollers released 141 sea turtle hatchlings back into the ocean. These i...
26/03/2026

🐢 Turtle patrol update ⚠️

Recently, our Turtle Patrollers released 141 sea turtle hatchlings back into the ocean. These included 80 Olive Ridleys and 61 Hawksbills. The hatchlings were released on three nesting beaches: Grand Cess, Chlinakalee, and Sobobo.

Together with communities in Grand Kru County, we continue to protect marine life to build a healthier ocean for Liberia's future generations.

21/02/2026

🦑 Unseen and unaccountable: The squid crisis in the Southeast Pacific Ocean

Our new investigation reveals how the keystone jumbo squid fisheries in the Southeast Pacific Ocean are being pushed to the brink, as China’s massive fishing fleet exploits weak governance, poor transparency and regulatory loopholes.

This lack of transparency has enabled overfishing, human rights abuses and illegal practices like shark finning to go on unpunished.

This issue has global repercussions. Because jumbo squid is a keystone species that underpins marine ecosystems, their collapse risks disaster for the wider Pacific Ocean.

We also found that squid caught by a company reportedly linked with exceptionally severe environmental and human rights abuses, has been exported to the USA, EU and the UK.

Now is the time for greater political will to close the governance gaps that have allowed this overexploitation to thrive. By embracing transparency, governments can protect a vital fishery, defend human rights, and secure the future of the Southeast Pacific.

04/02/2026

🐢 Turtle release

This week in Chinakalee, and Sobobo, Grand Kru County, under the watchful eyes of our dedicated Turtle Patrollers, 50 Hawksbills and 15 Olive Ridley hatchlings respectively were released back to the sea!

Small, fragile, and full of life, they slowly made their way across the sand before disappearing into the waves, where their survival story truly begins. Moments like this remind us why protecting our ocean matters.

Sea turtles are not just fascinating creatures; they are guardians of marine life. By grazing on seagrass, they help maintain healthy feeding grounds for fish. By supporting coral reef ecosystems and controlling jellyfish populations, they help protect the fisheries that many Liberian families depend on for food and livelihood. Sadly, these incredible animals face serious threats every day, such as poaching, entanglement in fishing nets, pollution, and the growing impacts of climate change.

That is why our turtle patrollers walk the beaches on a routine basis to monitor nesting sites, rescue turtles caught in fishing gear, and help return hatchlings safely to the sea. Just as important, they are helping to raise awareness about why protecting turtles means protecting our future.

Together, we can protect Liberia’s marine heritage.

🚨 New publication alert🚨👇🏽
04/02/2026

🚨 New publication alert🚨👇🏽

Coastal, small-scale fisheries are critical for the livelihoods of millions of people and provide a vital source of nutr...
01/02/2026

Coastal, small-scale fisheries are critical for the livelihoods of millions of people and provide a vital source of nutrition to around one billion people, many of whom are in the Global South.

However, the FAO assesses that 35% of fisheries are considered overexploited, putting coastal fisheries at risk.

Illegal fishing contributes significantly to this, impacting some of the poorest countries globally. This drives overfishing and the collapse of fish populations, meaning swift change to protect marine life and coastal communities is urgently needed.

With funding from the European Union, we have developed a Global Toolkit for Participatory Fisheries Governance, which pulls together tried and tested approaches to effective and equitable management to be implemented across 15 countries in the Global South.

One of the central pillars of this programme is enhancing community surveillance of industrial fishing vessels through a smartphone application called DASE.

"DASE" mobile application allows artisanal fishers to gather geotagged footage of illegal fishing at sea. When a vessel is spotted illegally fishing, or damaging canoes or gear, the user simply opens the app and takes a photo of the boat with its name or identification number showing and records the location.

The app then uploads the report to a central database where the evidence can be used by the government to catch and sanction the perpetrators.

We are working hard to continue rolling out the EU-funded Global Toolkit. Together, we can unlock equitable fisheries management that supports local communities, builds evidence against IUU fishing and encourages more sustainable practices that protect fish populations.

31/01/2026

🎣 Supporting women's livelihoods and voices in fisheries

Women play a central role in Liberia's small-scale fisheries sector. They lead the post-harvest activities and add value to the catch by processing, marketing, and preserving it. They are also the leading distributors of fish and hold significant traditional ecological knowledge on processing and preserving fish.

However, despite the central role they play, they are often excluded from decision-making and management of the resources that underpin their livelihoods. Obtaining finance can also be challenging for these women because of limited access to formal credit and banking facilities.

Through the European Union-funded Communities for Fisheries project, we aimed to address these systemic issues they face with the Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs).

VSLAs bring women in fishing communities together to pool their savings and take out loans for their businesses and households. They also provide a platform for their members to meet regularly, enhancing collaboration and trust between them.

From 2021-2025, the VSLAs in the project saved a total of US$905,653.12, which was put towards school fees and investing in their businesses. Women have now even begun self starting their own VSLAs in other communities, based on the positive experiences of others.

The financial freedom which the VSLAs provide has also given women the foundation they need to run for fisheries management positions. Women are now represented in over 50% of Collaborative Management Association executive positions.

The success of VSLAs was made possible because of the collaboration and capabilities of their participants. There is still a long way to go in the fight against poverty and gender inequality in Liberia’s small-scale fisheries sector, but these women are starting to turn the tide.

Read more in our briefing: https://ejfoundation.org/reports/vsla-update-brief-improving-womens-participation-in-fisheries-governance

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