EPA-SL Facilitate National Validation on Updated Sherbro River Estuary Co-Management Plan
By Mohamed Konneh
The Environment Protection Agency-Sierra Leone on Friday 18th November 2022 facilitated the National Validation of the Updated Sherbro River Estuary Co-Management Plan at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Aberdeen in Freetown.
The theme of the validation is ‘Strengthening Co-Management of Seagrass Ecosystems.
In his opening remarks the Chairman of the occasion, Professor Ernest Tom Ndomahina expresses happiness to be part of the validation noting that Seagrass is very important to the environment.
He said the audience was a mixture of people coming from Sherbro Island and people who see turtle almost on a daily basis.
This he said is good noting that there is no way you can plan for people without involving them.
The Deputy Director, ResilientSEA Project at EPA-SL, Paul Lamin giving the overview of the validation said the project is more about the Marine Protected Area and that EPA has been working with the Co-management committee since it was established.
Mr. Lamin noted that the documents put forward to be validated is the updated version of the Co-Management plan with seagrass added to it.
‘This project is about protecting seagrass that is found in IN Sherbro River Estuary including turtle Island and that the project goal is to improve knowledge and protect seagrass. The project tp protect seagrass is not only implemented here in Sierra Leone but other countries as well, he said.’
Mr. Lamin said the project has four components including scientific research and monitoring, advocacy and awareness, strengthening the management and protection of sites.
He said since the discovery of seagrass in Sierra Leone in 2019, strides have been made to conserve and manage the three seagrass beds in the Sherbro River estuary.
‘The key highlight is knowledge and conservation of seagrass. Most people before now knows nothing about seagrass and were confusing it with seaweed. Seagrass is different from seaweed and today’s event is another critical component of the project bringing seagrass into the co-management plan, he said.’
The Chairman Shebro River Co-manegement committee Rev. Umaru Koroma in his statement said the shebro River estuaries is rich in natural resources noting that the co-management committee has before now signed MOUs with relevant MDAs.
He said the committee Comprises people from 11 communities around the Sherbro River Estuaries with the mandate to protect the resources within this area.
‘We know that wetland belongs to the government and not Paramount chiefs. This means the resources belong to all of us and not individuals. The seagrass has economic value but most people don't know that. He said.’
Rev. Koroma said the shebro Island is among most impoverish areas in Sierra Leone while calling on government to improve the lives of the people in that area.
The representative of the National Protected Area Authority, Mr. Samuel Ibrahim Cobba making his statement said the authority was most grateful earlier this year that all of the people supported the review of the sherbro river estuary management plan which fortunately has catered for Seagrass conservation, a new phenomenon in the country’s conservation vocabulary.
‘We will remain grateful to this course and foster our collaboration with the Environment Protection Agency-Sierra Leone for their critical role in channeling the funds, coordinating activities and meeting while we encourage them to do more,, he said.’
He said seagrass is important and wherever it is found must be protected.
He however noted that anything that should be protected must have a law in that direction and that work is now been done in that direction.
Mr. Coba noted that the sbebro Island is an important area and that most people don't know the resources in that area.
‘Seagrass is not found everywhere and that wherever there is seagrass there is turtle. If we protect the seagrass it will protect us. The seagrass help to reduce gases in the air and help fight climate change, he said.’
Giving the Keynote address, Mr. Edward Mbaimba from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change said the plan was develop some three years ago and that the updated plan incorporate the seagrass.
Mr. Mbainba said some plans were not implemented due to funding, while emphasizing the importance of seagrass as it hold carbon more than trees.
He said seagrass help to fight climate change and the need to protect it.
The Keynote speaker noted that there is every need to protect the seagrass adding that government is committed in protecting the environment and more so fighting climate change.
‘A healthy ocean is key and there is every need to protect the ocean. We have a responsibility to protect and conserve the costal ecosystem and very soon there will be a law to protect seagrass, he said.’
