National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority

What National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority does

The National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) is an autonomous statutory body of the Government of Liberia, established on October 9, 2017 under the 2017 Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, succeeding the legacy Bureau of National Fisheries that operated from 1956. NaFAA holds exclusive regulatory authority over Liberia's fisheries and aquaculture sector, serving four primary operator classes (industrial, semi-industrial, artisanal, and recreational fishing operators) as well as fish processors, aquaculture establishments, NGOs, and foreign and domestic investors. The authority operates from a single headquarters on Bushrod Island in Monrovia with 101–250 employees distributed across 13 functional departments including marine fisheries, aquaculture, monitoring and surveillance, research, and environment and climate.

The core technology platform is the Fisheries Information Management System (FIMS), an online portal at fims.nafaa.gov.lr that handles license applications, permit applications, authorizations, certificate issuance, vessel registration, and applicant account management. FIMS supports eight license categories, five permit categories, four authorization categories, and three certificate categories with publicly disclosed fee schedules. A complementary public-facing 24/7 interactive website was launched in March 2026 with World Bank support, providing real-time vessel data, regulatory guidance, and transparency disclosures. NaFAA's revenue model is fee-based: industrial trawler licenses carry fees of US$1,250+ plus observer fees (US$10,800), processing (US$250), pre-licensing (US$1,000), and a ~10% quota contribution on catch value, while semi-industrial vessels carry US$5,520 observer fees and a ~10% catch-value quota. Smaller fees apply to import permits (US$4) and sanitary certificates (US$10). The authority's go-to-market combines direct in-person service at headquarters, the FIMS self-service portal, and investment-attraction events including the inaugural March 2026 National Fisheries Investment Conference branded "Kpongama." A US$2 million World Bank grant in October 2025 supports women fishmongers and governance modernization, indicating meaningful donor-side funding alongside statutory fee revenue and government allocations.

Name

National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority

Legal name

National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority

Website

https://nafaa.gov.lr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) is Liberia's autonomous statutory regulator of fisheries and aquaculture, issuing licenses, permits, authorizations, and certificates to industrial, semi-industrial, artisanal, and recreational fishing operators, processors, and aquaculture establishments through its FIMS online portal and Monrovia headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fisheries Regulation

NAICS

Aquaculture (11251), Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration (BPAIAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), Maritime & Port Authorities (Public Ports, Harbors, Ferries Terminals) (BPAIALAF), Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

Keywords

• Fisheries regulation services
• Aquaculture licensing
• Fishing permit issuance
• Marine resource management
• Fisheries compliance certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Monrovia

HQ country

Liberia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. License Fees: NaFAA generates revenue through fishing license fees from industrial, semi-industrial, artisanal, and recreational fishing vessels. Industrial fishing vessel trawlers pay $1,250+ for licenses plus observer fees ($10,800), processing fees ($250), and pre-licensing fees ($1,000). Semi-industrial vessels pay observer fees ($5,520) and annual quotas (~10% of catch value).
2. Permit Fees: Fees collected for various permits including aquaculture operations, fish import/export, fish seed production, and aquaculture imports. Fish Import Permit costs $4.00 per application.
3. Certificate Fees: Fees for certificates including Fish Sanitary Certificates for exporters ($10 for 5.1-50 kg shipments), fish seed production certificates, and certificates for NGOs.
4. Authorization Fees: Authorization fees for Fish Aggregation Device deployment (free), fish loading/transshipment, port entry by foreign vessels, and high-seas fishing operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NaFAA is the sole government regulatory authority in Liberia mandated by the 2017 Fisheries and Aquaculture Act to regulate, manage, and develop the fisheries and aquaculture sector. It issues fishing vessel licenses, permits, authorizations, and certificates to commercial, semi-industrial, artisanal, and recreational operators, fish processing establishments, aquaculture farms, and exporters through its FIMS online portal and headquarters in Monrovia.

Product overview

NaFAA operates as a unified platform-plus-portal architecture centered on the Fisheries Information Management System (FIMS), which provides the core digital infrastructure for all licensing, permitting, authorization, and certification services. The FIMS portal enables online applications for various fishing vessel licenses (industrial, semi-industrial, recreational, artisanal), fish processing and aquaculture establishment licenses, fish seed and live fish transfer licenses, and ornamental fish import licenses. Supporting the licenses are permits for aquaculture operations, fish import/export, and seed production. Authorizations cover specialized activities including Fish Aggregation Device (FAD) deployment, fish loading/transshipment, port entry by foreign vessels, and high-seas fishing operations. Certificates are issued for fish sanitary compliance, NGO registration, cold storage facilities, and agency certification. The recently launched interactive 24/7 website serves as the public-facing transparency hub, while FIMS remains the authenticated back-end for application processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FIMS (Fisheries Information Management System) The primary digital platform for managing fisheries licenses, permits, authorizations, and certificates, providing online application submission, status tracking, and applicant registration for individual and company entities operating in Liberia's fisheries sector.
• Industrial Fishing Vessel License License for industrial fishing vessels, including trawler operations, operating in Liberian waters; available to qualified Liberian citizens and foreign direct investors with observer placement required at additional cost.
• Semi-Industrial Fishing Vessel License License for semi-industrial fishing vessels with annual quota requirements and observer placement; available to qualified citizens and FDI.
• Recreational Fishing Vessel License License for recreational fishing vessels operating in Liberian waters.
• Artisanal Fishing Vessel License License for artisanal fishing vessels, typically smaller-scale local fishing operations in Liberia.
• Fish Processing Establishment License License for fish processing establishments operating within Liberia.
• Aquaculture Establishment License License for aquaculture establishments engaged in fish farming operations in Liberia.
• Fish Seed or Live Fish Transfer License License for fish seed production or live fish transfer operations within Liberia.
• Importation of Live Ornamental Fish License License for importation of live ornamental fish into Liberia.
• Aquaculture Operations Permit Permit authorizing specific aquaculture operations including fish farming activities in Liberia.
• Fish Import Permit Permit for importation of fish products into Liberia.
• Fish Export Permit Permit for exportation of fish products from Liberia.
• Fish Seed Production Permit Permit for fish seed production operations in Liberia.
• Fish Aggregation Device (FAD) Authorization Authorization required for Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) deployment in Liberian waters; available free for Liberian flag vessels with one-day processing.
• Fish Loading and Transshipment Authorization Authorization for fish loading and transshipment operations at sea in Liberian waters.
• Port Entry Authorization Authorization for foreign vessel port entry into Liberian ports.
• High Seas Fishing Authorization Authorization for Liberian fishing vessels operating in areas beyond national jurisdiction (high seas).
• Fish Sanitary Certificate Certificate confirming that fish products meet Liberian sanitary and safety standards for export and market access, with fees starting at $10 for 5.1-50kg shipments and one-day processing.
• Fish Seed Production Certificate Certificate for fish seed production facilities meeting regulatory standards in Liberia.
• NGO Certificate Certificate of registration for local and international NGOs operating in Liberia's fisheries sector.
• Agency Certificate Agency certification for fisheries-related operations and entities in Liberia.
• Cold Storage Certificate Certificate for cold storage facilities meeting required standards for fish product storage in Liberia.
• Vessel Registration System Online system for registering vessels operating in Liberian waters, accessible through the FIMS portal.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Conservation InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2025Conservation International partnered with the World Bank and Liberian government to launch a $2 million grant supporting women in Liberia's fisheries sector. The initiative benefited over 1,400 women fishmongers, aiming to improve financial management, diversify income sources, and expand their businesses.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Ghana Fisheries Commission: Ghana's national regulatory body for fisheries management and aquaculture development. Strong regional peer given West African geographic proximity, similar West-African coastal fisheries context, and overlapping artisanal/industrial licensing responsibilities.
• State Department for Fisheries, Aquaculture and the Blue Economy (Kenya): Kenya's lead government body regulating fisheries licensing and aquaculture development in inland and marine waters. Comparable in developing-country African context and combined aquaculture + capture-fisheries mandate.
• Senegal Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy (DPM): Senegalese ministry overseeing fisheries policy, licensing, and aquaculture promotion. Comparable in mandate, West-African context, and split between industrial and artisanal operators.

Direct peers

• Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR): National fisheries regulatory agency under the Philippine Department of Agriculture, responsible for licensing fishing vessels, issuing permits, and managing aquaculture development. Closely mirrors NaFAA's mandate and customer segments (commercial, municipal/artisanal, aquaculture).

Others

• European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA): EU agency coordinating fisheries control and compliance across member states. Comparable monitoring, surveillance, and compliance remit against IUU fishing, but supranational in scope.
• Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA): Regional body coordinating fisheries policy and licensing across Pacific Island states. Comparable in pooling regulatory authority and licensing mechanisms across multiple coastal jurisdictions, though operating regionally rather than nationally.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) - Fisheries and Aquaculture Division: UN specialized agency providing fisheries policy guidance, technical assistance, and capacity building to national authorities including NaFAA. Adjacent enabling organization rather than direct regulator, but a natural peer given the FAO's role in Liberia's fisheries sector support.

Broad incumbents

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO): Canadian federal department managing fisheries, aquaculture licensing, and aquatic resource science. Comparable mandate to NaFAA across licensing, permitting, and stock assessment, with similar exclusive regulatory authority in its EEZ.
• NOAA Fisheries (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fisheries Service): U.S. federal agency responsible for marine fisheries management, regulatory permitting, and stock assessments. Most directly comparable to NaFAA in mandate (science-based fisheries regulation, licensing, monitoring) but with vastly larger scale and budget.
• Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) - Fisheries Branch, South Africa: South African government branch handling fisheries management, licensing, and aquaculture permitting. Comparable mandate with a mature licensing regime that has digital application systems similar to NaFAA's FIMS portal.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NAFAA_2017

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority