The Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) and the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) Nansen Programme of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are organizing a two-day regional coordination meeting for beach seine fisheries management in the FCWC region from 5 – 6 June 2023 in Tema, Ghana at the FCWC premises.

The objective of the meeting is to take stock of fisheries management achievements and next steps for the implementation of management measures and plans for beach seine fisheries in the FCWC region and especially in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin.

A key discussion planned for the meeting is the impact of the joint 2023 fisheries closed seasons in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana on beach seine activities in the FCWC region. Participants from FCWC Member States (Benin, Còte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo), the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF), FAO EAF-Nansen, FAO Regional Office for Africa and the Norwegian Fisheries Directorate will convene to also present the status of beach seine fishery management in the region; discuss harmonization and consistency for implementation at national and regional level; identify specific compliance and MCS needs; update the management plans; identify communication needs to support harmonized fisheries management at national and regional level; and contribute to the review of the FCWC Regional Fisheries Management Plan.