Artwork of Liberian Fisher Communities

Artwork of LiberiAn fisher Communities 1

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Artwork of LiberiAn fisher Communities 3

Artwork of LiberiAn fisher Communities

IntroductIon ....................................................................... 5

communIty ScIenceS VolunteerS ............................................. 7

A. communIty engagement and ownerShIp ................................... 9

B. communIty ScIenceS toolS and technIqueS ............................ 12

C. Illegal trawlIng ................................................................. 17

D. dangerS of fIShIng ............................................................ 20

E. Beach hygIene ................................................................... 24

F. SuStaInaBle fISherIeS and conSerVatIon ................................ 25

G. lookIng forward ............................................................... 28

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introduCtion:

This collection of art is the result of a collaborative effort by community members of four coastal communities in Liberia; West Point, Marshall City, Robertsport and Buch-anan. The community mem-bers are all volunteers in the Community Sciences program, an initiative supported by the World Bank designed to build capacity in West African arti-sanal fisher communities to monitor and better manage their coastal and inshore ma-rine resources. The Commu-nity Sciences program aims to build strong and informed community groups with im-proved capacity to manage lo-

cal coastal and fisheries resources effectively, and to advocate for this both locally and nationally. The program trains volunteer groups in fisher communities to use a set of basic science procedures to systematically gather and interpret data and information on the status and health of local coastal and marine resources. The underlying premise is that if communities themselves generate and analyze a data and information base which is locally relevant and easily understandable, they will be empowered to identify and institute more sustainable fisheries management practices. The data and information gathered also helps position communities to engage more effectively with national entities on policies relating to these resources. And, the national entities can use the community-collected data as input to national monitoring systems. Sustainability of the Community Sciences program is possible because it is rooted in community volunteerism and ownership.

These drawings were put together by the volunteers, representing a broad range of stakeholders

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in fishing communities including fishers, fish processors, elders and youths, dur-ing the National Community Sciences Workshop held in Monrovia, December 3rd and 4th 2010. The Community Sci-ences volunteers were provided with markers and papers during the work-shop and invited to draw illustrations individually or as groups to illustrate issues of special importance to them on the Community Sciences program and life in coastal communities. During the closing ceremony, Dr. Sizi Z. Subah, Deputy Minister for Agriculture, present-ed awards recognizing the most expres-sive and emotive pieces of art.

The industrial fishing fleet stands out particularly strongly in the volunteers’ drawings as a threat to the ecosystem as well as a physical threat to the fishers themselves. With limited enforcement of fishing regulations to date, industrial trawlers have been fishing illegally in the inshore exclusion zone dedicated to artisanal fishers (in Liberia, the inshore exclusion zone is six nautical miles). The drawings suggest the same trawlers seem to be repeat offenders, as the volunteers drew many of the same vessel identification numbers.

The drawings also provide an interesting insight into the Community Sciences volunteers’ per-ceptions of the Community Sciences program and the issues facing the coastal communities. In particular, we see a number of illustrations of community life and the collaborative effort behind the Community Sciences program suggesting that the program’s focus on building community cohesion and social capital is taking root in the communities. Community members also devoted some of their drawing to some important themes of the Community Sciences program, including sustainable fishing practices, sanitation, hygiene and conservation of endangered species.

To learn more about Community Sciences and to view the monthly monitoring reports of the community volunteers visit: www.communitysciences.org

We thank all the volunteers for dedicating their time to these drawings!

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communIty ScIenceS VolunteerS

Buchanan

Anna Essien - Benjamin S. Sieh - Andrews K. Amekortu - Nyamah N. Cheeks - Savice Doe John Koffie - Oretha K. Nimely - Larry Smith - Kofi Assoum - N’Diaja Diop - Elijah Seneh

Morris Gongar - Regina Kumeh - Samuel C. Ankoh - Moses Toe

West Point

Joseph J. Gaiwieh - Ijuha Nah - Abraham W. Wleh - Julius T. Wleh - Jerry N. Blamo Romina A. Blamo - Ezekiel T. Chenne - Alphonso B. Nah - Cynthia Wright

Marshall City

Nod Koijee - Kwesi Kaya - Amada Siafa - Comfort Willie - Joseph Mathew - Alex T. Koijee John L. Binda - Sampson Doe - MacArthur William - Alvin Wright - Emmanuel Bentil

George Bangar - Helena Wiah - Musu Ballah

Robertsport

Charles W. Sampson - Augustine Tregbe - Andrew K. Nyanforh - Abraham B. Fahnbulleh Musu Dukuly - Boakia B. Kiazolu - Ciapha Kromah - GoOdwin Kennedy - Deborah Wah

Theresa Kofa - Sorebe Suma

Community Sciences Coordinator: Patrick D. Sayon

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1 Marshall City team monitoring fish

2 Community Sciences monitoring site, West Point Kru Beach, by JNB

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a. Community engAgement And ownership

Community engagement and ownership are critical components of a successful community based natural resource management approach. By developing local capacity of groups of com-munity volunteers to monitor coastal and inshore marine resources the Community Sciences pro-gram strenghthens community collaboration and the development of social capital. These first drawings illustrate the collaborative effort of Community Sciences

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4 3,4 Illustrations of the communities’ interaction with their coastal environment

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5 The presence of debris on the beach including plastic bags, old fishing nets, and human waste, impacts on the quality of life of all community members

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B. Community sCienCes tooLs And teChniques

6 Illustrations of monitoring equipment including a com-pass, a fish measuring board, binoculars, a thermometer and a watch

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The Community Sciences program trains volunteer groups in fisher communities to use a set of basic science procedures to systematically gather and interpret data and information on the status and health of local resources. In these drawings, the community volunteers illustrate some of the equipment used and procedures followed to gather data and information on a monthly basis.

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7 Measuring air temperature in Marshall City

8 Measuring the tide level

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10 9 Shoreline monitoring in Marshall City

10 Fish monitoring – measur-ing the length of fish caught to determine whether is it a juvenile or not

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1211 Tide level measurement

12 A compass, to monitor wind direction

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13 More monitoring tools

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14 West Point Trawler identified as SETA - 70 by JNB

c. iLLegAL trAwLing

The presence of illegal trawlers in the inshore exclusion zone is an important concern for commu-nity members in Liberia’s fisher communities. These illustrations reinforce the very strong concern the community members have with these trawlers. Monthly monitoring by volunteers as part of the Community Sciences program show that illegal trawling in the inshore exclusion zone (6 nautical miles in Liberia) remains widespread.

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15 Trawler catching a full net of fish, Joseph Gaiwieh

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16 Trawler identifed as SETA -70, fishing in the exclusion zone (EEZ), A.K. Amekortu

17 Trawler SETA – 70, repeatedly identified in the volunteers’ drawings

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d. dAngers of fishing

18 Twin trawler about to run over and destroy artisanal fishers’ nets. Such trawlers sometimes also accidentally run over artisanal fisher’s canoes, Alex A. Yorcee

Many drawings illustrate the various dangers associated with the work of an artisanal fisher. In Liberia, much of the fishing is done in small canoes built with a single wooden trunk (“kru” canoes). These are unstable and are ill equipped to confront rough seas and imposing industrial trawlers.

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2019 Trawlers dangerously close to artisanal fishing boats

20 A trawler identified as SETA 65 destroying a fishing net

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21 Canoes capsizing when facing strong waves

22 Fishermen entangled in a trawler’s large fishing net

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23 Small boat in powerful seas

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24 Beach cleaning in Marshall City

Hygiene and sanitation are an important element of the Community Sciences program. In the monthly monitoring procedures, the volunteers gather information on the cleanliness of the shore-line (i.e. presence of refuge and waste on the beach)and hygienic conditions of the areas of the beaches where fish are landed and processed. Following Community Sciences training, many com-munity members have organized themselves to clean the beaches, as illustrated below.

e. beACh hygiene

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f. sustAinAbLe fisheries And ConservAtion

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25 Illegal monofilament net is used for fishing, Marshall City

26 Destructive net with

small mesh size, Samuel Arkoh

Through monthly monitoring activities by the volunteer groups, a core objective of the Com-munity Sciences program is to develop community stewardship and management of the coastal and inshore marine areas. The illustrations below show a growing concern for sustainable fishing practices and an interest in conservation.

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Turtle conservation is of concern to community

volunteers

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g. Looking forwArd

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30 Plentiful buckets of fish for fish processors, JNB

31 Large pelagics including sharks and tuna

These drawings represent community volunteers’ aspiration for improved coastal and inshore marine resource management. Illustrations show expectations of plentiful and higher quality fish in the future.

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31 Fishing for larger fish

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