The FCWC is participating in the third steering group meeting of the Intelligence-led Fisheries Port Controls programme implemented by TMT, Global Fishing Watch, and the FCWC. This programme aims to support the effective implementation of the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) in Africa.

The government of Côte d’Ivoire is hosting the meeting under the auspices of the Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries (MIRAH) from 13-15 December 2023 to review the results and lessons learned from the pilot phase of the project, and to discuss the way forward as the project is expanded to include 6 more countries. Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, and Senegal will be joined by the rest of the FCWC Member States (Benin, Liberia, Nigeria, Togo), Madagascar and Guinea to receive technical and operational support for implementing PSMA in their countries.

The Technical Advisor of the MIRAH, Colonel Alain Kodjo, in remarks at the opening ceremony expressed delight at the arrival of the newcomers to the programme, and called for collaboration to implement the advances related to risk assessment, the development of advanced request for entry to port (AREP) procedures and the improvement of the framework for exchanges between administrations in the application of PSMA requirements in their countries.  

Key discussions during the three-day meeting include: the methodology and results of the PSMA Port Profiles developed for Abidjan, Dakar, Tema and Mombasa; the AREP process development and the use of Vessel Viewer; the onboarding process and MEL framework for the project; and the improvements and pro-active monitoring of port visits that will be implemented during this phase of the project