West Africa's rich and diverse marine resources are a vital component of the region's economic welfare and nutritional security, providing sustenance and livelihoods for millions of people. Despite this, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities continue to threaten this ecosystem's stability, posing significant challenges to environmental sustainability and food security.
Within this context, the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) successfully concluded the 17th West Africa Task Force (WATF) meeting in Ghana last week. This biannual event convened key stakeholders, including representatives from TMT, fisheries ministries, the Subregional Fisheries Commission, USAID Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity, Hen Mpoano and project representatives from ‘Improving Fisheries Governance in Ghana’, WATF Technical Team, Sierra Leone, and observers including the FAO Representative from the Regional Office for Africa.
The TMT team, including Executive Director, Gareth Johnstone played a key role in supporting WATF deliberations, underscoring a commitment to enhancing fisheries monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) in West Africa.
Throughout the three-day event, discussions centered on fortifying management measures, exploring the role of the FCWC’s Regional MCS Centre (RMCSC), and updating ongoing initiatives. TMT’s support, funded by the Government of Norway, has focused specifically on practical steps for regional cooperation and the development of a vital collective tool to combat illegal fishing - a Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels.
A Regional Record would act as a key step towards improving the governance of the region's fisheries sector. It would establish a comprehensive system for sharing information on authorized fishing vessels, strengthen fisheries management by restricting access to vessels engaged in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and promote sustainable economic growth.
In collaboration with FCWC, TMT together with Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF) are working to ensure that the Regional Record is not only a tool for compliance but also a mechanism for the long-term sustainable financing of the Regional Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) Center, empowering the region to take control of its fisheries resources.
The success of the Regional Record and other initiatives hinges on the political will and commitment of Member States to advance regional efforts towards better compliance and transparency in the fisheries sector. A road map for implementation will also be discussed at the 15th FCWC Conference of Ministers on December 11-13, 2024, in Monrovia, Liberia, where TMT's engagement and expertise will continue to provide support.
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