Fisheries Policy, Planning, Research and Statistics Unit

STATISTICS, RESEARCH AND POLICY UNIT

KEY FUNCTIONS

The Statistics, Research and Policy Unit is responsible for the following key functions:

1. Supervision and Management of fisheries Statistical Systems, including access

Control to registry, fish catch and effort databases and production of fisheries bulletins and fish stock status reports

2. Registration of artisanal fishing vessels, the collection, processing and analysis of artisanal and industrial fishery catch and effort statistics, biological and socio-economic indicators for fisheries management

3. Fisheries research and systems development adapted to new fisheries regulations, including the implementation of fishing vessel inspection and registry systems; transshipment, local discharge and license specifications and standards;

4. Pre-licensing inspections, processing of fishing vessel license applications and calculation of license fees for issuance of fishing vessel license

5. Production of updated fishing license lists, weekly and daily catch summaries and calculation of landing obligations for industrial fishing vessels

6. Supervision of Fisheries Observer Programme including the production and Management of fishery observer scientific data collection systems such as Observer logbooks, for daily catch recordings; supervision of the radio room and collation and checking of daily Observer radio catch reports

7. Production of daily and weekly local fish catch and landing summary records, calculation of fish landing obligations by fishing vessels as a pre-requisite for issuance of fishing vessel licenses

8. The production of fishery statistical bulletins, carryout fishery, marine resources and aquaculture research, including fishery surveys, Quota/TAC studies and other fish stock assessment work.

9. Identification of training needs development of training manuals and training of fisheries observers, enumerators and local councils

10. Collaboration with the MCS/JMC and Fish Quality Unit for the administration of fishery Observer and vessel monitoring Systems (VMS), including the deployment of fisheries observers and enumerators for the collection of scientific fishery information, monitoring of licensed fishing vessels via the VMS, HF and VHF Radio and AIS communication systems.

11. The development of scientific data collection systems and Ports State Measure Implementation such as pre-licensing inspection forms, fishery observer logbooks, transshipment and local discharge forms, development and implementation of regional and international fishery data management systems, including regional fishery management organization reporting requirements such as International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) and FAO statistical data reporting requirements.

12. The development of fisheries policies, legal framework, strategic and management planning, including ecosystem approach to fisheries, the introduction of fishing rights and the provision of fisheries management advice.

13. Elaboration of important elements of fishery access agreements and the analysis of socio-economic data to guide fisheries and aquaculture management.

14. Collaborate with other MDAs in fisheries, marine resources and aquaculture related research

15. Participation in national regional and international conferences on fisheries statistics, marine resources research and policy

16. Coordinate the development of fisheries projects including identification of donors

17. Supervis

16. Other fisheries management duties assigned by the Director of Fisheries

STATISTICS, RESEAARCH AND POLICY UNIT

ACTIVITY PLAN AND STATUS FOR 2015

OUTPUT AREA	PLANNED ACTIVITIES	PROGRESS INDICATORS	CHALLENGES
*Supervision and Management of Fisheries Statistical Systems*	Supervise data clerks for production of updated fishery statistics	Supervision of data clerks ongoing for fishery statistics data processing. Ad Hoc staffing arrangement instituted to improve data processing	Data processing still lag behind due to limited financial support to hire additional data clerks
	Institute Access control systems to catch registry and databases for fishery statistics information sharing	Access control systems in place. Fishery Statistics data sharing with MDAs is based on approval by Director of Fisheries	Computers and accessories need upgrade.
	Production of fish stock status reports and fishery bulletin	Draft Fish stock status report for Croakers produced, draft fishery bulletin-fisheries of Sierra Leone prepared	No funding to conduct fisheries surveys and collect artisanal fishery catch and effort data.
Enhancement of International and Regional Fisheries Management Membership and Reporting	Finalize and implement Tuna Fishing MOU, implement FAO and ICCAT Reporting requirement. Attend International meetings	Tuna Fishing MOU finalized and implementation ongoing. Processing of data Forms ongoing for data reporting to FAO and ICCAT	Membership fees to ICCAT not yet paid. This hampers full participation and benefit
*Fisheries Research and Systems Development*	Develop transshipment and Local Discharge inspection forms and standards, monitor and supervise transshipments, fish discharges and exports	Transshipment and local fish discharge inspection forms developed. Monitoring and supervision of transshipments, local fish discharges ongoing	No funding for procurement of speed boats and limited fuel for monitoring of activities
	Update fishing vessel license Specifications and Standards, Conduct Pre-licensing inspection of industrial and semi-industrial fishing vessels and calculate license fees	Fishing vessel license specifications and standards updated to include information on length overall of vessels. Pre-licensing inspection ongoing for industrial and semi-industrial vessels	No Speed boats and there is limited fuel for monitoring of activity
*Collection and Analysis of Artisanal Fishery Data*	Collection, processing and analysis of artisanal fishery catch and effort data	Request for funds submitted to MOFED. Awaiting Disbursement of funds. Data collection not yet commenced	Limited funding and delays in disbursement of funds
*Production of License Lists and Daily Catch Summaries*	Produce updated license lists. Summarize daily radio catch reports, produce weekly catch summaries and estimate landing obligation for vessels	Updated license lists produced weekly, Daily Radio catch summaries and weekly local landings and export data produced. Landing Obligations for vessels calculated as pre-requisite for issuance of licenses	Faulty MFMR HF Radio Communication Antenna prevents reporting by all vessels
*Supervision of Fisheries Observer Programme and Monitoring of Fishing Vessels Via VMS*	Collaborate with MCS/Fish Quality Unit for the Management of fishery observer scientific data collection systems: logbooks and daily catch recordings	Observer logbooks administered in collaboration with MCS unit, Daily Catch recordings verified using daily radio reports	Faulty MFMR HF Radio Communication Antenna prevents radio reporting for all vessels
	Supervision of the radio room and collation and checking of daily Observer radio catch reports	Radio room supervised and daily catch reports collated for calculation of landing obligations. Request made for repairs of HF radio antenna	Faulty MFMR HF Radio communication Antenna prevents radio reporting for all vessels. No funding available for repairs of HF radio antenna
Production of Fishery Statistical Bulletins, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research and Fish Stock Assessment	Produce Fisheries of Sierra Leone Bulletin (Fourth Edition). Conduct research on Sea Cucumber Exploitation, Marketing and Socio-economics	Fisheries of Sierra Leone bulletin under development. Framework for Sea Cucumber Studies Developed. Data analysis for fish stock assessment for croakers ongoing	No funding to carryout fisheries surveys
	Undertake Diagnostics studies for development of shrimps and demersal fisheries management plan	Data analysis ongoing for diagnostics studies on Croakers for development of demersal fishery management plan	Funding not yet obtained from MOFED for 2014 and 2015 FY
*Training of Fisheries Observers, Enumerators and Local Councils*	Identify training needs; develop training manuals for the training of fisheries observers, enumerators and local councils. Funds request submitted to MOFED for refresher training and deployment of Enumerators	Training needs identified for fishery observers and enumerators. Draft Fishery Observer Training Manual Produced. Awaiting funds from MOFED for refresher training and deployment of Enumerators	Funding not yet obtained from MOFED for 2014 and 2015 FY
Fisheries Policy and Legal Framework development and Strategic management Planning	Implement Fisheries Strategy for Sierra Leone-Fisheries Wealth for National Prosperity: Conduct Trainings and Sensitization on Draft Five Year Plan and Fisheries Bill, participate on Finalization of Fisheries Bill and Strategy	Funds request submitted to MOFED for stakeholder meetings and trainings on fisheries Bill and fisheries development Strategy-Fisheries Wealth for national Prosperity	Awaiting Funds from MOFED to conduct Stakeholders training and sensitization
*Collaboration with other MDAs in Fisheries, Marine Resources and Aquaculture related research*	Collaborate with Environment Protection Agency to Conduct Research on Commercial Exploitation of Sea Cucumber	Stakeholders consultative meeting and research planning meeting held at EPA-SL on the commercial exploitation of Sea Cucumber	Limited information on sea cumber. Limited funding for stock assessment
*Development of Fisheries Projects and Identification of Donors*	Work with other Units to develop various fisheries projects and identify possible donors	Draft fisheries projects developed on Fishery Stock Assessment, Fish Cold Chain and Aquaculture Development Projects

STAFF STATUS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

NAME OF STAFF	DESIGNATION	RESPONSIBILITIES (TERMS OF REFERENCE)
Sheku Sei	Ag. Assistant Director of Fisheries/Head of Statistics, Research and Policy Unit	Produce Quarterly Report on all Activities of the Unit to the Director of Fisheries through the Deputy Director. Overall Supervision of all Staff and activities of the Statistics, Research and Policy Unit, including: Supervision of Radio Room and the collation of daily catch records and landing obligations for fishing vessels Supervision of transshipment and local fish discharges and edit field reports Training of fisheries officers, observers and enumerators Update fishing vessel license lists and produce weekly fish discharges and status of landing obligations Analyze fishery data and produce fishery bulletins and stock status reports Develop and update standards, forms and specifications for fishing vessel licenses, pre-licensing inspections, transshipments and local fish discharges Act as Head Scientist to ICCAT and supervise ICCAT data reporting systems and Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries management. Lead ICCAT data Reporting Coordinate access to fisheries statistics, databases and registry of licensed fishing vessels. Coordinate fishery data collection, processing and analysis, fishery stock assessment and fishing vessel licensing systems. Collaborate with MCS unit to implement Ports State measure Agreement. Develop and update Standards and Specifications for fishing vessel licenses Provide technical backstopping on fisheries policy and legal framework implementation Attend and present technical papers on fisheries statistics and policy at regional and international conferences Collaborate with MCS Unit for fishery Observer Administration Perform other duties assigned by the Director of Fisheries
Josephus Mamie	Ag. Senior Fisheries Officer	Supervise Fishery Statistics Data Processing Staff to ensure effective data processing Supervise transshipment and local fish discharges and Edit field reports Assist in the Analysis of fisheries data, the production of fisheries bulletins and fisheries status reports Training of fisheries officers, observers and enumerators Assist in the implementation of Ports State Measure Agreement Act as Fisheries Biologist to ICCAT Act as Focal Point for FAO Nominal Data Reporting Systems Assist in the Control of access to fishery statistics databases Assist in the development, update and implementation of fisheries policy and legal framework Submit Activity Report to Director through Deputy Director, and Through Head of Statistics, Res.& Policy Unit Perform other duties assigned by the Director of Fisheries
Mamoud Mansaray	Fisheries Officer	Monitor Transshipment and Local Fish Discharges Process daily fish catch records from radio room and compare with observer logbooks Assist in the processing of ICCAT data for reporting requirements
Ivory Mae Coker		Monitor Transshipment and Local Fish Discharges Process daily fish catch records from radio room and compare with observer logbooks Assist in the processing of ICCAT data for reporting requirements
Khalil bangura		Monitor Transshipment and Local Fish Discharges Process daily fish catch records from radio room and compare with observer logbooks Assist in the processing of ICCAT data for reporting requirements
Philip Cole		Monitor Transshipment and Local Fish Discharges Process daily fish catch records from radio room and compare with observer logbooks Assist in the processing of ICCAT data for reporting requirements
James Samuels		Monitor Transshipment and Local Fish Discharges Process daily fish catch records from radio room and compare with observer logbooks Assist in the processing of ICCAT data for reporting requirements
Maligie mansaray		Monitor Transshipment and Local Fish Discharges Process daily fish catch records from radio room and compare with observer logbooks Assist in the processing of ICCAT data for reporting requirements
Victor Karmoh		Monitor Transshipment and Local Fish Discharges Process daily fish catch records from radio room and compare with observer logbooks Assist in the processing of ICCAT data for reporting requirements
Mohamed A. Saccoh		Monitor Transshipment and Local Fish Discharges Process daily fish catch records from radio room and compare with observer logbooks Assist in the processing of ICCAT data for reporting requirements
Mohamed King		Monitor Transshipment and Local Fish Discharges Process daily fish catch records from radio room and compare with observer logbooks Assist in the processing of ICCAT data for reporting requirements
Alhaji Conteh		Monitor Transshipment and Local Fish Discharges Process daily fish catch records from radio room and compare with observer logbooks Assist in the processing of ICCAT data for reporting requirements

Sheku Sei

Ag. Asst. Director of Fisheries

O/C Statistics, Research and Policy Unit

Mr. Victor A. Kargbo - Head of Unit

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