PRESENTED BY:

PAUL M. JAIA -F ISHERIES OFFICER

MINISTRY OF F ISHERIES AND MARINE RESOURCES

SIERRA LEONE

Status of Aquaculture in sierra Leone

Country Report -2017

Njala University Hatchery-CORAF

Map of sierra Leone showing boundaries

Background of Sierra Leone

Position in West Africa-

Sierra Leone lies between latitudes 6⁰55’N and 10⁰ N and longitude 10⁰14’W and 13⁰17’. The total land area is 72,325 Km2.

Boundaries

The country is bounded on the north and north-east by the Republic of Guinea, on the south and south-east by the republic of Liberia and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean

population: 7.1 million (2015, statistics Sierra Leone)

Size: 72,325 Km2

capital city: Freetown

Relief and Drainage

RELIEF REGIONS:

Freetown Peninsula- A long range of mountains that boarders the western coast-(i.e. The capital Freetown.)

Coastal Plains: Low, level and sometimes swampy area close to the coast, includes creeks and estuaries.

Interior lowlands: Generally flat area with isolated mountains mostly inundated during the rainy season.

Makes up about ½ the country. Includes extensive wetlands such as the Boli lands in the Northern Province and the Batti lands in the South

Interior Plateau and Mountains: A mountainous region that runs from north west to south direction. It is the Source of all major rivers in sierra Leone. Highest peak is the Bintimani mountain (63,360 ft)

Sanya Scarp – An extension of the Futa Jalloh Plateau of Guinea

Relief Map of Sierra Leone

Wetlands- Flora and Fauna

AREA: Approximately 4,837.8 Km2(Bah (1994)

THE VEGETATION-

Freshwater swamps . Rapian forest

Mangroves: 200,000-300,000 ha (Aleem and Chaytor, 1980; COMARAF,

1990; Ndomahina, 2002)

FAUNA: Snails, Bivalves, Polychaetes, Protochordate and

Echinoderms).

16 families of freshwater fishes and as many 100 species. include:

Tilapia zillii, Tilapia monodi, Clarias lazera, Clarias laeviceps and Mormyrus

macrophalus.

Lakes: Bagrus bayad, Synodontis nigrita, Clarias platycephalus, etc.

Climate of Sierra Leone

CLIMATE:

-WET SEASON: May-October.

The Annual Rainfall:

- North-East -varies from about 1,800mm

- Freetown Peninsular: to 5000mm.

- DRY SEASON: November- April

Average Monthly Temperatures:

Around 26⁰C.

Relative Humidity:

Up to 92% in the wet and 45% inland in the dry season.

Coastline and Drainage

The Coastline: About 560 Km long.

Continental shelf: Covers an area (to 200m depth) of 30,000Km2.

The Drainage System :

Flow Direction- North-East to a South-western- (Atlantic drainage of West Africa.)

Major Rivers:

Great Scarcies, Little Scarcies, Rokel, Jong, Sewa, Moa and Mano.

Others :

Ribbi, Kukuli, Gbangbar and Wanje.

Estuaries:

The scarcies, Rokel, Yawri and Sherbro.

Timeline of Aquaculture activities in sierra Leone 1970-1991

1970s- Initial Tilapia seedlings obtained from Ivory Coast- GTZ

- Integrated Aquaculture- (Fish cum rice) – Bo-Pujehun project

- -Trials with Heterobranchus and Notopterus spp – Bo-Pujehun

project

1974- 1984: Oyster Culture -Rafts. (Canada and govt. sierra Leone).

1977- Finfish Culture – Government Makali fish farm - Oreochromis

niloticus

1982- Establishment of the BO Fish Farm –(GoSL)

1991- Rebel war- Cessation of field Aquaculture activities.

2000 to date

2000-2013

- Maintenance of Aquaculture Outstations -Bo and Makali. No production.

Development of a Department of Aquaculture-Njala University

Increased Private Sector investments drive.

Aquaculture ponds nationwide - FAO(TCP), CORAF, Farmers field school, etc.

WorldFish - Development of a new strain of Tilapia (Ivory Coast Tilapia X Burkina Faso Tilapia ) and Catfish

Fish Feed Production at Makali and Njala.

Legal Framework

MANDATE:

The Ministry of Fisheries is the legally mandated body for the management, development and conservation of Marine Resources.

STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS:

- The Fisheries Management and Development Act of 2004

- Fisheries Policy

- Fisheries Regulations

Other Legal Relevant Agencies and Policy Documents

OTHER RELEVANT BODIES

-Environmental Protection Agency

-National Protected Areas Agency

-The Local Governments Act 2004

-Ministry of Lands Country Planning and the Environment

RELATED GOVERNMENT STRATEGY PAPERS.

-The Agenda for Prosperity

-Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper ii

-Ministry of Fisheries Aquaculture Development Strategy Paper

AQUACULTURE HEALTH ASPECTS:

- Sierra Leone Competent Authority(food safety)

-PRECON

-Fish Quality Sector- (MFMR)

AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT STRATIGIES.

-Investigating and assessing the potentials of Inland Fisheries and

Aquaculture

- Initiating and establishing River Basin Management Systems.

- Promoting the production and marketing of capture and cultured Finfish and

Shellfish.

- Improving the national nutrition status through aquaculture and inland

fisheries

- Facilitating the promotion of integrated freshwater aquaculture and

Mariculture systems.

- Maintaining the Biodiversity of the Inland Fisheries Systems.

Don'ts -Introduction of exotic species in Aquaculture System

Undertaking any Aquaculture activity without clearance from the Ministry.

Unauthorized fish processing activity.

Utilization of unsuitable sites for reasons of environmental degradation.

Production statistics and marketing

Production trends: Not available

Production estimates: About 40 tonnes per annum (Agricultural Sector Master Plan Study, 1992).

Marketing: Marketed fresh (sold not by weight) to Fish Mammies in the village or along major roads prices are negotiable

Smoked fish- Sold in Periodic Markets or Urban towns.

TILAPIA BREEDING AT GOVERNMENT’S MAKALI FISH FARM- FEED THE FEATURE (WorldFish)

Marine Fishery

1974-1984 - Experiment with Mangrove Oyster (Crassostrea tulipa ) Canadian Government-Sierra Leone. (Rafts)

Short lived- High cost of implements,

- lack of available market

- Negative attitude to explore new fields

- redundancy of workers

Marketing opportunities

- Emerging international and regional cooperation.

- increasing consumer demand by resident Asians.

- new Government policy direction( food security and poverty reduction strategies. )

Challenges

Lack of specific Aquaculture Department on both Continental and Marine

Aquaculture ( food security and business.)

low incentives for research - fish feed and seedlings )

Few job opportunities for graduates in Aquaculture.

High investment cost at commercial scale and vulnerability to climate

change , disease outbreak and political instabilities.

Poor marketing strategies and limited markets.

Multi-sector use of culture environment.

Pollution of water bodies ( domestic and industrial waste )

Cost -benefit advantage (capture fishery over culture fishery)

Government’s policies put premium on industrial fishery.