The recent exchange visit by the Fisheries Monitoring Centre (FMC) of Nigeria to the Regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Centre (RMCSC) at the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) in Ghana marks an important milestone in advancing the RRAFV pilot phase.

 

Bringing together regional expertise and national experience, the engagement provided a timely opportunity to review progress, strengthen collaboration, and further refine the vessel risk assessment process within a coordinated regional framework.

 

The RRAFV pilot, initiated earlier this year in Nigeria, established a solid foundation through comprehensive document collection, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and the development of an initial assessment framework. The RMCSC visit built on this progress by creating space for reflection and continuous improvement, ensuring that early lessons are effectively translated into more efficient and scalable systems.

 

Hosting the review at the RMCSC highlighted its central role in facilitating regional cooperation. Over the course of three days the RMCSC staff, Nigerian FMC officers worked closely with technical support from TMT to:
· Review the execution of agreed roles and responsibilities

· Assess time and staffing requirements for vessel assessments

· Test and refine assessment tools through practical application

· Review key vessels with identified risks

· Develop clear, actionable recommendations

 

The visit also contributed significantly to capacity development. The FMC participants from Nigeria deepened their practical experience, while RMCSC staff further strengthened their role in supporting harmonized assessment processes across member states. This exchange of knowledge is critical to ensuring that the system remains both effective and sustainable over time.

 

The outcomes of this engagement provide a clear pathway for the next phase of the RRAFV pilot. The recommendations developed will guide ongoing refinements and support broader regional implementation.

 

Significantly, the visit reinforces the value of regional coordination through the RMCSC, demonstrating how collaborative efforts can lead to stronger, more unified monitoring, control, and surveillance systems across the West Central Gulf of Guinea.

 

By Tina Nkansah Akuamoah, Communication Officer