The Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea at the 14th session of the Conference of Ministers held in Accra, Ghana, from 11 – 13 January 2023, chose “Supporting effective fisheries management for a sustainable blue economy” as its 2023 Theme of the Year.

The Conference of Ministers brought together Ministers for fisheries or their representatives to review its annual report and adopt recommendations to promote the ongoing regional fisheries cooperation in the region. 

FCWC Secretary-General, Seraphin Dedi, in his speech during the conference reiterated that cooperation and a regional approach are necessities for safeguarding existing resources and the development of the maritime economy, and blue growth in the region. Commenting on the theme he stated “[we] invite States to adopt the blue economy as a pillar of economic planning, development and investment in the fisheries sector and to ensure the alignment of national policies with the ECOWAS Comprehensive Strategic Framework for the Sustainability of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (CSFS-FAD), as well as the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 14) – aiming at the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources for their sustainable development.”

Further details about the theme have been included in the leaflet that was developed for it. [link here].