FAO Fisheries & Aquaculture - Regional fishery bodies (RFB)

Regional Fishery Bodies Summary Descriptions

Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF)

Mission
Area of competence
Species and stocks coverage
Legal framework
Languages
Organizations involved
Structure
Activities and meetings
Publications
Contacts

MissionObjectiveThe purpose of the Committee is to promote 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. FunctionsTo this end, the Committee has the following functions and responsibilities:

to keep under review the state of the resources within its area of competence and of the industries based on them;
to promote, encourage and coordinate research in the area related to the living resources thereof and to draw up programmes required for this purpose and to organize such research as may appear necessary;
to promote the collection, interchange, dissemination and analysis or study of statistical, biological, environmental and socio-economic data and other marine fishery information;
to establish the scientific basis for regulatory measures leading to the conservation and management of marine fishery resources, to formulate such measures through subsidiary bodies, as required, to make appropriate recommendations for the adoption and implementation of these measures and to provide advice for the adoption of regulatory measures by Member Governments, subregional or regional organizations, as appropriate;
to provide advice on monitoring control and surveillance, especially as regards issues of a subregional and regional nature;
to encourage, recommend and coordinate training in the priority areas of the Committee;
to promote and encourage the utilization of the most appropriate fishing craft, gear and techniques;
to promote liaison among and with competent institutions within the sea area served by the Committee and to propose and keep under review working arrangements with other international organizations which have related objectives within that area.

Area of competenceThe Eastern Central Atlantic between Cape Spartel and the Congo river.

CECAF area of competence - High seas, National waters

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The designations employed and the presentation of material in the map(s) are for illustration only and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal or constitutional status of any country, territory or sea area, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers or boundaries.

Species and stocks coverageThe Committee covers all living marine resources within its area of competence. Legal frameworkThe Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) was established in 1967, by Resolution 1/48 adopted by the FAO Council at its Forty-eighth Session held in Rome under Article VI (2) of the FAO Constitution.
ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/DOCUMENT/cecaf/CECAFstatutes1967.pdf
The Rules of procedure were adopted by CECAF at its First Session held in Accra, Ghana (24-28 March 1969). They were amended in November 1992 and in October 2003.
ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/DOCUMENT/cecaf/CECAFstatutes_amend_CL124.pdf LanguagesEnglish, French, Spanishinterpretation is provided at the session of the Committee. Organizations involved The Committee is composed of Member Nations and Associate Members of the Organization selected by the Director-General. Such Member Nations and Associate Members of the Organization are selected from among Member Nations and Associate Members of the Organization in Africa whose territory borders the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Spartel to the mouth of the Congo River, and such other Member Nations and Associate Members fishing or carrying out research in the sea area concerned or having some other interest in the fisheries thereof, whose contribution to the work of the Committee the Director-General deems to be essential.

Current membership: Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Dem. Rep. of the Congo, Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, European Union, France, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Liberia, Mauritania, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Togo, United States of America.

StructurePrincipal bodyThe Committee, which is composed of all CECAF member States, is the central body in CECAF. Sessions of the Committee are normally held every two years. Decisions of the Committee are taken by a majority of the votes cast, unless otherwise provided. Each member has one vote. The Scientific Sub-CommitteeThe Committee established a Scientific Sub-Committee in 1998. The main function of the Scientific Sub-Committee is to provide appropriate advice to the Committee for fisheries managing decisions. Working GroupsAt its first meeting in Nigeria, 30-31 October 2000, the Scientific Sub-Committee proposed to establish the following working groups:

Working Group for Small Pelagics
Working Group for Demersal Species, and;
Working Group for Artisanal Fisheries.

SecretariatThe Secretariat is provided by the FAO Regional Office for Africa. It is based in Accra, Ghana.
CECAF is a member of the Regional Fishery Body Secretariats Network that meets biennially. Activities and meetings CECAF (Eastern Central Atlantic) Capture Production database
This database contains capture production statistics by country or territory, species item, and CECAF statistical division.

More on CECAF Capture Production (Fishery Statistical Collections)

CECAF - Committee Sessions