About 30 fishery officers from 13 countries in the Gulf of Guinea will be trained on combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing from 18th to 22nd February, 2019.
The training which is financed by the French cooperation via the Directorate of Security and Defense Cooperation (DCSD), and supported by the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire will take place at the Regional Academy of Marine Science and Technology (ARSTM) in Yopougon, Abidjan.
The program which is organized by the Interregional Institute for Maritime Security (ISMI) corresponds with the first level of professionalizing curriculum of fisheries inspection.
Some experts from Gabon, Sierra Leone, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and France will deliver speeches at the program.
A statement from ISMI noted that 40 to 60% of the fish are illegally caught in the Gulf of Guinea creating a huge shortfall for the countries in the region.
It added that illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing poses a serious threat to fish stocks and the marine environment.
ISMI noted that the illegal activity undermines fisheries management and deprives people in coastal states of food and income.
According to ISMI, abundant fish resources of the area attract suitors from all over the world who are ready to cross the oceans to fish off the coast of West Africa.
It stressed that close links are emerging between IUU fishing and maritime piracy, where both complement each other.
Background
It is estimated that more than $2 billion is lost yearly to illegal and unregulated fishing in the region to Gulf states.
The Gulf of Guinea consists of Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ghana, Togo, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe, Angola, and Congo.
The seas and oceans in West Africa are facing serious pressure from within and outside the region.
The coastal sector remains largely underdeveloped and poorly governed, which has enabled other forces from outside the continent to benefit more from it, than its citizens; a very disturbing situation.
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