Source of funds: 11th EDF (CRIS ref: 2015/038-922)
EU Contribution: 15 MEUR
Implementing Agencies: ECOWAS/PMU (GOPA); SRFC (Senegal), FCWC (Ghana), EFCA (Senegal)
Implementation period: 48 months (21 August 2018 to 20 August 2022)
Geographical region: West Africa
The overall objective of PESCAO is to enhance the contribution of fisheries resources to sustainable
development, food security and poverty alleviation in West Africa. The specific objective is to improve regional
fisheries governance in Western Africa through better coordination of national fisheries policies.
Expected Results:
· A Western African fisheries and aquaculture policy is developed and coordination of regional
stakeholders is improved;
· Prevention of and responses to IUU fishing are strengthened through improved Monitoring, Control and
Surveillance (MCS) at national and regional level;
· Marine resources management at the regional level is improved, building resilience of marine and
coastal ecosystems to perturbations.
Main Accomplishments (Support to ECOWAS):
· Information on fisheries in West Africa has been collected and a reference database is being created;
· A joint Technical Committee between PESCAO and SWAIMS was held in May 2019 to support
coordination and synergies in the area of maritime security and IUU fishing;
· Signature of the MoU between ECOWAS and WORLDFISH was completed in September 2019;
· Establishment of the Nigeria WANSAFA national platform was completed in September 2019;
· ECOWAS Comprehensive Strategic Framework for sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Development
(CSFS FAD) was endorsed by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD)/ECOWAS
and validated by Directors of Fisheries and Aquaculture in West Africa, on 9-10 October 2019 in Lomé,
Togo;
· Two projects were prepared for the DARD on improved landing sites and regional aquaculture
development programme.
Main Accomplishments (Support to Ghana and Senegal):
· Identification of the international and regional fisheries legal framework was conducted applicable to
the area of the Subregional Fisheries Commission (SRFC)/Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf
of Guinea (FCWC), including Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), international and
regional legal acts and/or conventions;
· The Copernicus system was implemented throughout the SRFC joint campaign to support the
operational activities, 1st campaign completed;
· Use of new technologies - 3 patrol vessels were deployed, 41 inspections have been carried out and 6
instances of non-compliance detected;
· A joint campaign “the KUTA inspection” was carried out in May 2019 to deter illegal, undocumented
and unregulated fishing and track illegal vessels. The inspection covered the exclusive economic zone
(EEZ) of Guinea Bissau, Guinea and Sierra Leone;
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· Signature of Memorandum of Understanding between European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) -
Subregional Fisheries Commission - Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea and the
International Security Management Institute (ISMI) on training of fish inspectors.
Main Issues:
· Challenge of sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture if policy officers are not recruited by the
ECOWAS Administration by the end of the programme;
· Informal coordination between ECOWAS and the Regional Fisheries Bodies (Accra & Dakar).