Liberia’s fisheries sector plays an important role in economic growth, livelihoods, and food security. However, the aquaculture sector remains nascent despite development efforts dating back over 70 years. Recently, the Government of Liberia (GoL), in partnership with the World Bank (WB) initiated the Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP) with a view towards promoting the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. This study was undertaken to assess the status, challenges, and potential of Liberia’s aquaculture sector, and to develop a comprehensive Aquaculture Management Plan and Policy framework that deliberately shifts from previous ambitious approaches to a more focused strategy addressing fundamental issues.
Farm-visits and consultations were held with over 300 stakeholders across six counties. Despite development efforts since the 1950s, current production remains limited (< 100 tonnes). The main cultured species are Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), mango tilapia (Sarotherodon galilaeus), redbelly tilapia (Coptodon zillii), and African bonytongue (Heterotis niloticus). Production systems are largely small-scale earthen ponds (200-400 m²) integrated with rice farming. Key constraints include underdeveloped infrastructure, limited access to quality inputs, inadequate technical knowledge, and weak market linkages. These challenges must be understood within Liberia’s post-civil war context which severely impacted institutional capacity, infrastructure, and technical knowledge.
The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy 2025–2029 aims to address these challenges through strategic pillars including infrastructure development, technical support and capacity building, and creating an enabling environment. The accompanying Aquaculture Management Plan provides operational guidance with protocols for site selection, sustainable practices, and monitoring frameworks. The policy and management plan establish a pragmatic and practical roadmap for unlocking Liberia’s aquaculture potential, and may provide useful information for developing governance frameworks in post-civil war contexts in other African nations.