Editing Flag of Sierra Leone (section)

==Legal issues==
The Sierra Leonean flag is utilized as a [[flag of convenience]] by foreign [[merchant vessel]]s.  The "minimum enforcement" of [[admiralty law]] on such vessels has led to illegal and suspicious activity.<ref name=fishing>{{cite news|title=Sierra ends flag of convenience for fishing vessels|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-sierraleone-fishing-idUKTRE69R4MW20101028|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223213000/http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-sierraleone-fishing-idUKTRE69R4MW20101028|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 23, 2017|date=October 28, 2010|access-date=June 18, 2014|first=Simon|last=Akam|work=Reuters}}</ref>  This includes unlawful fishing,<ref name=fishing/> as well as the usage of the flag on vessels from countries under [[United Nations]] [[International sanctions|sanctions]].<ref name=Iran>{{cite news|title=Sierra Leone takes 10 Iranian ships off register|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:APNS&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=14132F50CEE5C820&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=105B9A93AF33E3E3|date=September 9, 2012|access-date=June 18, 2014|agency=Associated Press}} {{subscription required}}</ref>

As a result, the Sierra Leonean government has taken measures to curtail registrations related to the practice of flag of convenience.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ugl3XQ1lysYC&q=flag+of+sierra+leone&pg=PA132|title=Open Skies for Africa: Implementing the Yamoussoukro Decision|publisher=World Bank Publications|year=2010|last=Schlumberger|first=Charles E.|pages=132|access-date=June 18, 2014|isbn=9780821382066}}</ref>  In 2010, they stopped allowing fishing vessels to register in order to stymie unauthorized catches within both its domestic waters and in international seas.<ref name=fishing/>  Two years later, they removed 10 ships from its registry believed to be from [[Iran]].  This followed the seizure of a ship in [[Lebanon]] that was carrying weapons for [[Syria]] and was purportedly flying the flag of Sierra Leone.<ref name=Iran/>

In 2015, following the establishment of their International Ship Registry (SLMARAD) which developed various mechanisms, such as due diligence procedure, FSIs and others, and through the ratification of major [[International Maritime Organization|IMO]] and [[International Labour Organization|ILO]] Conventions and implementation of such in their Domestic law, the Sierra Leonean government managed to successfully eliminate such incidents.