CECAF promotes the sustainable utilization of the living marine resources within its area of competence by the proper management and development of the fisheries and fishing operations.
Functions
The Committee has the following functions and responsibilities:
- Review the state of the resources within the CECAF area of competence;
- Promote, encourage and coordinate research on the living resources and draw up programmes required to organize such research;
- Promote the collection, interchange, dissemination and analysis or study of statistical, biological, environmental and socio-economic data and other marine fishery information;
- Establish the scientific basis for regulatory measures leading to the conservation and management of marine fishery resources, to formulate such measures through subsidiary bodies,
- make appropriate recommendations for the adoption and implementation of these measures
- provide advice for the adoption of regulatory measures by Member Governments, sub regional or regional organizations, as appropriate;
- provide advice on monitoring control and surveillance, especially as regards issues of a sub-regional and regional nature;
- encourage, recommend and coordinate training in the priority areas of the Committee;
- promote and encourage the utilization of the most appropriate fishing craft, gear and techniques;
- promote dialogs between institutions within the sea area served by CECAF and to review working arrangements with international organizations that share related objectives within the area.
Latest publications
This document is the report for the regional meeting held to discuss the results and lessons learnt from the PESCAO Programme. The meeting hosted by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with financial support from the European Union convened 97 participants under the guise of the “Improved Regional Fisheries Governance in Western Africa” (PESCAO) Programme Component 3 “Improved management of marine resources at the regional level, and enhanced resilience of marine and coastal ecosystems to perturbations” in Abuja from 3 to 5, 2023. The objectives of the meeting were to (i) discus the improved science frameworks, improved science dissemination, improved stakeholder knowledge and collaboration for stakeholders involved in West Africa’s fisheries sector; (ii) showcase Component 3 activities, results and promote exchanges on fisheries research, fisheries management with stakeholders and policymakers in West Africa; (iii) establish a common approach of the status of fisheries knowledge in the West Africa region between implementers and partners and (iv) improve stakeholders' skills to better understand scientific advice and the dissemination of scientific advice for sustainable regional fisheries governance.
This review summarizes the data and methodological gaps identified through the reports of the FAO working groups in the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) area. It highlights the need to improve data quality and assessment approaches appropriate to the existing data in the CECAF region. Improving data and access to existing data is a priority for the development and application of more advanced stock assessment models to strengthen the scientific advice provided and to support the CECAF Scientific Sub-Committee and the Committee.