Julius Konton

IPNEWS: Very strong and physical body men in their hundreds and under the banner, of Liberia Artisanal Fishers Association on Thursday gathered in the Township of West Point with placards and several inscriptions calling on the national government to urgently address their plight.

In a strongly worded statement, the aggrieved group give the government seventy-two hours ultimatum to in a timely manner and address their pressing issue which they pointed out is also affecting their respective families.

Among other things, they call for the reduction of canoe license fees which they claimed are being imposed upon them.

The group with acrimony LAFA is the conglomeration of Fishermen and women from across Liberia’s nine Coastal Counties.

According to them the fees imposed on them in this current administration for canoes license is high as compared to the previous administration something they want to be looked at critically and to be a fast strike in addressing it.

The LAFA President Jerry Blamo said the hike in the license fees is greatly affecting artisanal, fishermen, fish mongers, and processors.

He explained that there are key challenges that must necessitate the decision on fee reduction of canoe licenses and one of them is based on the issue of climate change which is greatly affecting them.

Others are the alleged influx of migrant fishermen into Liberia that is using bad fishing methods and polluting their waters, he further narrated.

Even though they are in their advocacy for urgent redress, President Blamo thanks the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority for the decision to pay half while negotiation continues with the central government for the reduction in their license fees.

According to Blamo they are giving the government of Liberia seventy-two hours ultimatum for the reduction in the current canoe license fees beginning today August 3, 2023, but failure on the government’s part to comply, it will lead to unspecified action, the reechoed.