La Côte d’Ivoire Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources (MIRAH), Honourable Minister Sidi Touré announced that Cote d’Ivoire will implement its first-ever national fisheries closed season from July 1 to August 31, 2023, at a press conference on 25 May 2023, in Plateau, Abidjan,
Min. Touré made the announcement of the annual closed season clarifying that it would take place in two phases. 1-31 July 2023 will apply to small-scale fishing vessels, and whereas semi-industrial and industrial vessels will be banned from operating in Cote d’Ivoire from 1-31 August 2023.
The FCWC Secretary-General (SG) Dr. Gaston Djihinto attended the ceremony to witness the announcement which is itself partly a realization of the aim to implement the FCWC regional fisheries management plan, an objective under the FCWC’s 2023 theme of the year Supporting Effective Fisheries Management for a Sustainable Blue Economy.
Last month, SG Dr. Gaston Djihinto and the current FCWC Chairperson Honourable Mrs. Mavis Hawa Koomson took trips to meet with the Ministers for fisheries of FCWC Member States, among things, to promote the implementation of fishery closed seasons at the national level.
The announcement by Cote d’Ivoire demonstrates the increasing regional cooperation to take joint actions and work toward a regional fishery closed season. The implementation period coincides with Ghana’s fishery closed season which will hold during the same period.