The press briefing was jointly held by the World Bank, United State Embassy and the European Union to help strengthen the country’s fisheries sector through rebuilding fisheries stock.

Ambassador Peter Versteeg is the Head of the European Union Delegation to Sierra Leone; he said efforts to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the country is insufficient, and that had led to the European Commission decision on closely identifying Sierra Leone as non- co-operating third country in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Making an input, the United State Ambassador to Sierra Leone John Hoover said unlike gold and diamond, fisheries is Sierra Leone’s greatest renewable natural resource. He urges the government to be vigilant, as this he said is their only opportunity to strength the fisheries sector.

The World Bank Country Manager, Paminder Brar reiterated Sierra Leone’s flaws in the fisheries sector.

Sierra Leone is losing over $180 million yearly to illegal fishing activities, and that in itself is not good for the country’s crippling economy.