Fishing districts in Sinoe County recently convened to deliberate and develop a draft constitution and bye-laws for fisheries and coastal governance. The deliberations occurred during the second General Assembly for the prospective of Community Management Association (CMA) in Sinoe County. The engagement facilitated by the Liberia Fisheries Governance Project (LFGP) and #NaFAA brought together representatives from four districts to collectively draft a constitution and bye‑laws that will serve as the governance foundation of the future CMA.
A Constitution Committee was established to prepare an initial draft, which was presented to the General Assembly for review. The process sparked broad deliberations and constructive debate on critical issues affecting fisheries governance, accountability, and sustainable resource management. Discussions focused on compliance with fisheries regulations, conflict resolution mechanisms, leadership accountability, gender inclusion, and sanctions against illegal fishing practices.
This participatory exercise underscores another important milestone toward establishing a transparent, inclusive, and community-centered fisheries governance structure within the coastal landscape by embedding accountability and gender inclusion into the draft constitution and bye‑laws, the prospective CMA is laying the groundwork for sustainable and equitable resource management.
In the coming days, the draft constitution and bye‑laws will be submitted to NaFAA for validation to ensure alignment with national fisheries policy and regulations. This step will reinforce the legitimacy of the governance framework and strengthen the role of fisherfolk in shaping Liberia’s coastal future.
