National Fisheries, Aquaculture Authority Poised To Establish Climate Department with Support from United Nations Development Program to Tackle Marine Vulnerability

Monrovia, Liberia: As a means of elevating climate resilience and environmental integration within Liberia’s fisheries governance framework, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) has initiated a process for the establishment of a Department of Environment and Climate Change.

This effort follows a solidified technical engagement with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) as the initiative aimed to advance sustainability, institutional transformation, and national alignment with global marine conservation standards.

By: Abraham Sylvester Panto

Addressing the significance of the development on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, NaFFA Acting Director General J. Cyrus Saygbe emphasized that the structural innovation reflects the fisheries authority's unwavering commitment to integrating environmental priorities in the governance strata of the sector.

The decision, emerging from a high-level technical meeting, formalizes NaFAA’s intention to institutionalize environmental oversight within its operational architecture, which will position the agency as a central actor in national climate adaptation efforts, reaffirming its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 14.

Recalling his tenure at UNDP, Acting Director General Saygbe said, “As a former UNDP staff member, I felt truly at home, warmly received by familiar faces and colleagues who continue to champion transformational development across Liberia.”

He described the engagement as both “productive” and “inspiring,” while referencing strong alignment between NaFAA’s evolving mandate and UNDP’s global leadership in environmental governance, sustainable development, and climate action.

The proposed Department of Environment and Climate Change, according to NaFAA, is a structural response to Liberia’s rising exposure to climate-induced marine threats, including overfishing, ecosystem degradation, and coastal erosion. All of which the NaFFA boss noted has jeopardized long-term food security, marine biodiversity, and the viability of coastal livelihoods across the country’s Atlantic shoreline.

According to institutional documents reviewed during the engagement, the new department will serve as an environmental governance engine within NaFAA, responsible for conducting climate impact assessments, ensuring compliance with international marine protocols, and promoting ecosystem-based fisheries management. 

"The creation of this new department is not only a major institutional milestone for NaFAA but also a strategic response to the urgent challenges of climate change, marine ecosystem degradation, and coastal vulnerability," Acting Director General Saygbe asserted.

In operational terms, the department will be tasked with coordinating cross-sectoral climate strategies, managing environmental risk assessments within the fisheries sector, and aligning national efforts with international climate frameworks such as the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The structural shift will also increase NaFAA’s influence in marine 3-D planning, enabling it to contribute to national adaptation plans, ocean resource conservation, and sustainable livelihood support for fishing communities increasingly threatened by sea-level rise and overexploitation.

"It is about building a more responsible, intentional, and resilient fisheries sector—one that is equipped to protect livelihoods, biodiversity, and national food security," Saygbe intoned.

UNDP’s expressed interest in aligning resources and expertise with NaFAA’s departmental initiative is expected to result in targeted capacity-building, technical assistance, and institutional planning support, with the goal of fostering operational readiness and long-term programmatic viability.

Beyond policy and structure, the new department is expected to directly benefit frontline fishing communities by introducing evidence-based practices, early warning mechanisms, and habitat restoration strategies that mitigate shocks while sustaining economic activity across coastal zones.

From a governance standpoint, the department is expected to enhance NaFAA’s ability to enforce environmental compliance, mobilize climate finance, and contribute to national reporting obligations under multilateral environmental agreements, thereby improving Liberia’s credibility and competitiveness in global sustainability indices.