West Africa Task Force

Tackling illegal fishing in West Africa 

 

The FCWC West Africa Task Force (WATF) was formed in 2015 to tackle illegal fishing in West Africa, based on the model developed and pioneered by the FISH-i Africa Task Force, and adapted to the needs of the region and characteristics of fisheries enforcement needs in the region. The Task Force was formed in response to very high levels of illegal fishing by industrial vessels in the Gulf of Guinea region, where fisheries represent an important source of employment and food for local communities, and revenue to national treasuries.

 

The aim of the Task Force is to improve compliance and governance in the region’s large-scale fisheries sector, leading to sustainable exploitation of fish stocks and more income and fish available to coastal states. It serves as the MCS Working Group of the FCWC, through which all regional MCS initiatives and activities are coordinated and implemented,

 

Crucially the WATF operationalises key FCWC conventions and processes that have been signed between member countries on information sharing, cooperation on fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS), and the establishment of long-term, sustainable mechanisms to ensure fisheries compliance in the region.

 

Systematic sharing of information between countries is a crucial aspect of the West Africa Task Force approach, enabling countries to benefit from intelligence provided by their neighbours and the technical team, and preventing known illegal operators from operating across the region.

 

While strengthened regional cooperation and information sharing between States is at the core of WATF objectives, focus is also on a supporting both national multi-agency and international approaches to tackle illegal fishing. It recognises that fisheries officers must work in close cooperation with a range of agencies at the national level, and with their counterparts in neighbouring countries, regions and with international partners. 

 

To achieve this, Task Force activities include the development of multi-agency National Working Groups in each country, which form the basis for cooperation, capacity building and collaborative work between all agencies involved in fisheries controls and broader crimes taking place in fishing operations. The National Working Groups form the nucleus of national and regional level fisheries intelligence gathering and analysis, cooperate on MCS planning and operations, and are the focus of capacity building efforts provided by the Technical Team.

 

The FCWC West Africa Task Force is funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), through the TMT administered project ‘Fisheries Intelligence and MCS Support in West Africa’. Phase 1 of this support ran from 2015-2018, and Phase 2 is now being implemented through to 2022. In addition, the MCS Component of the EU PESCAO project is supporting the FCWC to further strengthen the West Africa Task Force.

 

TMT supports the FCWC West Africa Task Force through:

• The provision of fisheries intelligence and analysis, both as identified and in response to Member States requests for assistance

• Establishment of the regional communications platform

• Targeted capacity building and support of each country’s National Working Group, and the development of a regional ‘toolbox’ of manuals and briefs

• Support of exchanges of personnel between countries to build relationships, share best practices and harmonise capacity and approaches in the region

• Supporting two regional Task Force meetings per year

• Providing broader technical and institutional support to the FCWC Secretariat and Member States

• Administering the Norad supporting project

 

 

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