1. Community Surveillance in the
Sherbro River Area, Sierra Leone
Andy Hickman, EJF
andy.hickman@ejfoundation.org

2. Project started in 2010 in response
to high rates of illegal fishing by
industrial vessels in the Inshore
Exclusion Zone (IEZ) near Sherbro
Island, Sierra Leone.
Vessels targeting croaker, sole and
shrimp for the European and East
Asian seafood markets.
Since 2010, EJF boat has responded
to over 250 reports of illegal fishing.
Most common offences:
fishing in the IEZ; destroying artisanal
nets; obscuring vessel markings; using
illegal fishing gears; transshipping
illegally; evading arrest; attacking
local fishers.

3. Challenges at outset of
project
• Very weak MCS
capacity in Sierra
Leone
• Very high impact on
local communities
• Distant-water fleets
with weak flag State Incursions by
control
industrial
• No Vessel Monitoring
Systems (VMS) trawlers
• Hard to reach area
(above all in rainy
season)
• Corruption
• Target species of
trawlers in inshore
areas
• Trawlers cover names
to hide identities

4. Community surveillance field tools
PEOPLE +

5. Community Photos, GPS Damages to
Deployment of
report of illegal
fishing activity
EJF boat IUUpositions and
vessel ID taken
local fishing
gears assessed
Information
transmitted to
Freetown and
London offices
IUU Alert
released

6. Sierra Leone government
Action under national fisheries laws
IUU Alert European Commission
Denial of import and blacklisting under EU IUU
released Regulation
Flag State
Action under United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea

7. Remote support
• Vessel comparisons using
photos available
• Tracking of some vessels
using AIS (rare)
• Tracking of refrigerated
cargo vessels
• Compilation of evidence
into an IUU Alert and
transmission to relevant
agencies
• Investigating entry of
fisheries products into the
EU
• Monitoring displacement
of illegal activity

8. Outcomes from the project so far
Over 500,000USD in fines as a result of EJF investigations.
The seizure of $6.5USD million of fish in Las Palmas. Release
of fish by Spanish authorities is being investigated.
10 industrial vessels previously operating illegally in Sierra
Leone have left the country.
Over six months without illegal trawler activity in Southern
Sierra Leone.
Ongoing investigations by the European Commission into the
possible blacklisting of several boats.
Ongoing investigation by the Korean government into the
activities of its distant water fishing fleet.
Too early to ascertain the impact on catches, however,
communities have reported increased catches of certain
species and increased sightings of sharks in the area
previously targeted by the illegal trawlers.

9. Promoting community
stewardship of marine
environment
Following the success of
community surveillance, EJF
is working with communities
in the Sherbro River area to
develop a co-managed
Marine Protected Area
“We have built trust in the local (MPA) where certain types
communities by helping the Government of fishing will be restricted
stop illegal trawlers. Now fisher folk and key breeding grounds
listen to us when we talk about co-
will be protected.
management and local fishing
practices”—Amara Kalone, EJF
Community Organiser, Bonthe

10. Ongoing challenges and
technology gaps:
• Displacement of illegal activity to other
areas of the West African coast
• Lack of a robust VMS with
accompanying sanctions (both coastal
and flag States)
• Difficult to monitor/access IUU activity
occurring further offshore (inc.
transhipments)
• Lack of a Unique Vessel Identifier and
Global Record