A regional applied training workshop on shared small pelagic stock management was held in Accra, Ghana, from 19–20 November 2025. The workshop, organised under the Regional Partnership for the Coordinated Management of Small Pelagics in the Central West Gulf of Guinea and supported by the FAO EAF-Nansen Programme, gathered fisheries managers, scientists, fishing professionals, and regional partners from FCWC member countries to deepen their practical understanding of the history and governance of shared small pelagic fisheries.
The two (2) days training focused on three concrete analytical exercises designed to support future management decisions:
- Reconstruction of national historical timelines for small pelagic fisheries; and
- Mapping of actor networks involved in small pelagic governance.
- Developing a vision for shared small pelagic stocks management for the next ten (10) years
On the first day, participants worked in country teams to build timelines of key events in small pelagic fisheries management from pre-colonial times to the present. These timelines captured major developments such as the expansion of artisanal and industrial fleets, changes in gears and mesh sizes, the adoption or revision of fisheries laws and regulations, regional cooperation milestones, market and trade shocks, and notable stock fluctuations or collapses. Particular attention was paid to how national and regional institutions have responded to environmental variability and climate-related changes in the distribution and productivity of small pelagic species.
Country and FCWC teams then presented their timelines in plenary, allowing cross-country and regional comparison of trajectories and policy responses. This exercise highlighted both common patterns, such as rapid fleet growth and late introduction of key management measures, and country-specific features, providing a shared visual reference that will inform subsequent regional decision-making.
The second day was dedicated to actor network mapping. Participants identified the full range of actors who influence small pelagic management, including fisheries administrations, research institutes, MCS agencies, local governments, artisanal fishers’ organisations, industrial operators, women processors and traders, civil society organisations and regional bodies.
Teams drew network maps showing the different types of relationships between these actors, command and reporting lines, advisory roles, information and data flows, and financial or resource flows. They then assessed the relative influence of each actor on key decisions affecting shared small pelagic stocks, such as the design and enforcement of seasonal closures, the adoption of technical measures and the control of fishing effort. This exercise helped to clarify where authority and influence are concentrated, where coordination is strong or weak, and which actors need to be more systematically engaged in future management processes.
