By Bobor Dan Kamara
The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Princess Dugba has revealed that China has granted Sierra Leone the right to export fishes to their country, a big boost for the fishing sector.
She made this announcement late last week while saying that no fishing will take place in the seas of Sierra Leone in February 2025 to allow the fries to grow.
The Government of the People’s Republic of China, through the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Wang Qing, awarded the International Fish Export Certificate to Sierra Leone during the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit.
The certificate was granted following the signing of the Protocol on Inspection, Quarantine, and Sanitary Requirements for Wild Aquatic Products, enabling Sierra Leone to directly export its fish products to China.
Minister Dugba expressed her deep appreciation for the certificate, emphasising its importance as a key achievement of the China-Africa Cooperation.
“Prior to now, my country has been losing huge revenues in the fish value chain because fishery products could not be exported directly to China except indirect exportation through other regional countries and through certified third parties,” Minister Dugba noted.
She further stated that the Fish Export Certification would unlock new opportunities for direct fish trade between Sierra Leone and China, significantly boosting revenue generation.
