The Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) participated in a three-day workshop organized by the Ministerial Conference on Fisheries Cooperation Among African States Bordering the Atlantic (ATLAFCO) on small-scale fisheries, from 7 – 9 July 2021 in El-Jadida, Morocco.
The workshop brought together small-scale fisheries actors from the 22 Member States of ATLAFCO to deliberate on key issues including: identifying the main obstacles to the development of small-scale fisheries; the difficulties associated with cohabitation of small-scale and industrial fisheries; appropriate management measures; sustainability certification standards for better application of good practices; and the effects of the presence of foreign fleets on local small-scale fisheries.
The seminar concluded with a better definition of the small-scale fisheries sector in terms of the main constraints of the artisanal fishing sector in the ATFLACO region; identification and compilation of the best country-level practices in the Member States; and proposals of actions to raise visibility of achievements and support for the effective implementation of existing relevant instruments.
Kofi Taylor–Hayford,
FCWC Communication Officer.