Title: Strengthening monitoring and controlling of artisanal fisheries using pelagic data system in Liberia: case of Montserrado, Grand Bassa and Grand Cape Mount.

This paper aims to strengthen monitoring and control of the artisanal fisheries using pelagic data system in Liberia through case analysis of Montserrado, Grand Bassa and Grand Cape Mount. The main objective of this study was to analyze the viability of equipping artisanal vessels with the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS). The work examines the potential for the artisanal fisheries using the Pelagic Data System (PDS) to be integrated into the Automatic Information System (AIS) in order to monitor artisanal canoes at sea. The cases were analyzed using descriptive analysis to conduct a simple cost-benefit scenario with the PDS analysis of fleet segment within the IEZ and deep-sea fisheries. The calculation of the Pelagic Data System (PDS) was done in three scenarios in other to evaluate the total anticipated costs of the PDS activities to the total expected benefits, in order to determine whether the implementation of the PDS is economically viable for sustainable fisheries management in Liberia, and whether if offers any alternative cost reduction. The study concluded that the Pelagic Data System would be of better management for the artisanal fisheries in order to incorporate, the artisanal fisheries into monitoring programs through NGO, industry and government interventions .The study highlights several important issues of high relevance to the artisanal fisheries of Liberia.