EJF’s boat project in Sierra Leone

In its capacity to support our fieldwork to end illegal pirate fishing, the boat has supported collaboration with both local communities and the Sierra Leone Navy to identify the activities of several trawlers.

This has included photographic evidence collected by EJF’s local staff, as well as a further EJF-Navy joint patrol which indentified illegal fishing by several boats operating from a Korean mothership. All evidence is being collected and passed onto the government of Sierra Leone, improving their capacity to tackle the pirates.

In its role as an Emergency Water Ambulance, the boat has responded 14 times to various medical emergencies, and has also responded as an emergency lifeboat. Medical conditions have ranged from severe accidents, heart attacks, and outbreaks of severe child diarrhoea.

EJF is happy to report that as a result of the boat’s ability to respond quickly to these emergencies, 26 lives have been saved. Many of these were children under five, and this also included two pregnant women who successfully gave birth! EJF has also been able to support Government Immunization programmes, further contributing to improving health in the fishing communities of Sherbro Island.

Originally from Freetown, Victor Cole is EJF's Country Representative in Sierra Leone. His key role will be developing relationships with stakeholders including government and local organisations to combat illegal pirate fishing.

Amara Kalone is our Community Co-ordinator. Born and bred on Sherbro Island Amara is EJF's crucial link to the local fishing communities who are being most affected by the impacts of illegal pirate fishing. Amara will also be in charge of running EJF's small boat to monitor pirate fishing in Sierra Leone. When not in use by EJF and local representatives, the boat can be used as a water ambulance facilitating fast transport from remote coastal areas to medical facilities.