National Fisheries and Aquaculture Law 2019

(1) This Act. unless the contrary intention appears, applies to: d. all persons. and all vessels: 2. as required pursuant to this Act or international conservation and management measures, or permitted by international law or any international agreement;

e. management measures for fishing and related activities shall minimize: i. wastes, by-catch, discards, regulatory discards, economic discards and catch by lost or abandoned gear; ii. pollution originating from fishing vessels or vessels engaged in related activities; iii. negative impact by gear and harvesting methods on the fishery resources; and iv. catch of non-targeted species;

(2) No person shall: a. without a valid and applicable license or authorization issued under this Act, engage in commercial fishing for sharks; b. engage in shark finning; c. possess, store, transship or land, or attempt to transship, land, buy or sell any: 1. shark fin (including the tail) that is not naturally attached to the whole corresponding carcass; ii. species of shade, in whole or in part, that is prohibited by an international conservation and management measure to be retained on board, transhipped, stored or otherwise.

No person shall sell or export any fish or fish product intended for human consumption which is adulterated, contaminated with or contains a poisonous or harmful substance or pathogenic microorganisms, bas not met lawful inspection standards or is otherwise injurious to human health.

(1) No person, a. being the operator of a fishing vessel or any other person in apparent control of a fish aggregating device shall deploy or maintain any fish aggregating device in the Fisheries Waters; or b. being the operator of a fishing vessel, including a supply vessel, shall deploy any fish aggregating device in areas beyond national jurisdiction that· drifts into the Fisheries Waters with or without the knowledge of such operator, except under an authorization issued by the Director General and in accordance with such conditions as he/she may specify or as are otherwise specified in this Act.

1. Where commercial employment is foreseen in relation to the activity for which the licence or authorization is sought, it shall be a condition of the licence or authorization that citizens of Liberia possessing the necessary qualifications and experience shall be given preference for employment, and such employment shall be in accordance with the national labour laws.

(3) Each authorization for research fishing shall be subject to the following conditions: a. that at least two Liberian scientist or observer be included at all times for the duration of the research at the expense of the person to whom the authorization is granted;

l) An observer programme shall be established by the Director General for the purpose of collecting, recording and reporting reliable and accurate information for scientific, monitoring, management, and compliance purposes.

(1) The Director General may appoint a person in writing to be an observer for the purposes of this Act, but shall not appoint as observer a crew member of the vessel being observed or any person directly or indirectly connected with the fishing vessel company being observed including as employee or contractor.

(3) In the case of a foreign fishing vessel, a valid and applicable written authorization issued under the authority of the flag State shall be required as a condition of issuance of a license or authorization under Subsection (l)(a) and (2)(c) for fishing in the Fisheries Waters and, for transshipment at sea in accordance with international conservation and management measures. National Fisheries and Aquaculture Law 2019 S10.17 Industrial fishing licenses issued for fishing or related activities shall be subject to the following conditions: d. the operator shall install, maintain and ensure continuous operation of an Automatic Identification System at full transmission power at all times while the fishing vessel is in the Fisheries Waters and in areas beyond national jurisdiction until it completes landing or transshipment of any fish caught in the Fisheries Waters;

(2) For the purposes of this section, where a vessel is used in the commission of an offense, the owner, operator, master and charterer shall each be deemed to have committed the offense.

(1) The Director General may, taking into account the recommendations of a Licensing Committee established pursuant to this Act, approve the grant, renewal, suspension and revocation of licenses and authorisations for any. purpose specified in Section 10.1 or which may be prescribed in accordance with this Act or required under any applicable Fisheries Management Plan or international agreement.

(1) The Director General may, by written notice to the license holder or that person's agent, suspend or cancel any license, authorization or accreditation issued pursuant to this Act for any of the following reasons: a. there has been a contravention of the license, authorization or terms of accreditation, this Act, or an applicable international agreement and/or national or international conservation and management measures in respect of which the license or authorization was given, b. there has been a failure to maintain or comply with the eligibility criteria for the licence, authorization or accreditation, or there has been any material change or change in circumstances affecting eligibility to meet such criteria for any reason c. the license holder has furnished information which is untrue, incomplete or misleading in connection with the t application, in contravention of Section 8.1; d. a license or authorization has been transferred without the written approval of the Director General; e. it is necessary to do so to implement conservation and management measures under this Act, in accordance with its objective and principles; or f. such other reasons as may be prescribed in Liberian Law or the Regulations.

(1) In approving or renewing licenses and authorizations pursuant to this Act, and in setting the level of any performance bond required under Section 5.4, the Director General and a Licensing Committee established pursuant to this Act shall take into account the extent to which the relevant vessel, including its operator or other relevant person, as appropriate, has: c. complied with all applicable vessel registration requirements; f. complied with the requirements of the Maritime Law, Title 21 Liberian Codes Revised

The Director General shall establish and operate vessel monitoring systems for purposes of monitoring, control and surveillance, and managing the operations of fishing vessels under this Act The operator of any industrial fishing vessel, as a condition of license, shall install, maintain and operate a VMS transponder in accordance with such conditions as prescribed or required. by the Director General. The mobile transceiver unit (MTU) or other device or equipment shall be an integral component of a vessel monitoring system at all times while the fishing vessel is in the Fisheries Waters or, in respect of a Liberian fishing vessel. in areas beyond national jurisdiction or such other area as may be prescribed or agreed in an international agreement or international conservation .and management measures.