FAO Fisheries & Aquaculture - Regional fishery bodies (RFB)

Regional Fishery Bodies Summary Descriptions

Fishery Committee of the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC)

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

MissionObjectiveThe objective of the Fishery Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) is to promote cooperation among the contracting parties with a view to ensuring, through appropriate management, the conservation and optimum utilization of the living marine resources covered by the Convention and encouraging sustainable development of fisheries based on such resources.Functions

To achieve its objective, the Committee has the function and responsibility to:
provide a forum for discussion on any fishery-related matter;
improve the livelihoods of small-scale fishers and processors, including the devising of appropriate measures to deal with migrant fishers;
harmonize fisheries legislation and regulations among the contracting parties;
enhance cooperation in respect of relations with distant-water fishing countries;
strengthen subregional cooperation in monitoring, control, surveillance and enforcement, including the progressive development of common procedures;
promote the development of fisheries research capabilities;
promote the development of standards for the collection, exchange and reporting of fisheries data;
develop and promote common policies and strategies, as appropriate, in the subregion to enhance subregional standing in international meetings; and promote subregional cooperation in the marketing and trading of fish and fish products.

Area of competenceThe area of competence comprises all marine waters under national jurisdiction of the contracting parties.

FCWC area of competence - National waters

Launch the RFBs map viewer

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.

Organizations involved

Member: Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Togo.

Species and stocks coverageThe Committee covers all living marine resources, without prejudice to the management responsibilities and authorities of other competent fisheries management organizations or arrangements within the area of competence. LanguagesEnglish, French. Legal frameworkThe FCWC was established in July 2006 at the Ministerial Meeting in Abidjan. The Meeting issued a declaration to endorse the establishment of the Committee and approve the hosting of the Secretariat in Tema, Ghana.

The first Ministerial Conference in Cotonou, Benin, November 2007 approved the Convention for the Establishment of the Fishery Committee as well as the rules of procedure.

Convention for the establishment of the Fishery Committee of the West Central Gulf of Guinea (PDF)
Convention portant création du Comité des Pêches pour le Centre-Ouest du Golfe de Guinée (PDF) StructurePrincipal bodyThe Conference of Ministers is the supreme body of the Committee. Each contracting party is represented at its meetings by the minister responsible for fisheries or his or her authorized representative. The Conference of Ministers is responsible for determining the course of cooperation between the member countries. The Conference of Ministers endeavors to take decisions by consensus.Advisory Committee and CoordinationThe Advisory Committee and Coordination (ACC) meets every year. Each contracting party has one member in the Advisory Coordinating Committee, who is the head of the department responsible for marine fisheries or his or her authorized representative. The tasks for the ACC are to supervise the activities of the Secretariat, provide technical and scientific advice to the Conference of Ministers, assist the coordinator and ensure implementation of the decisions of the Conference of Ministers. Recommendations of the ACC shall be adopted by consensus.SecretariatThe Secretariat is the executive body of the Committee, and the secretary general is the legal representative of the Committee. He or she directs the work of the Committee in accordance with the decisions of the Conference of Ministers and under the guidance of the ACC.Working groupsWhen needed, working groups may be formed on specific topics or issues related to the Committee's objectives. The ACC is responsible for establishing such subcommittees or working groups. In 2009, the "FCWC ad hoc working group for improving information on status and trends of fisheries” was officially established. Activities and meetingsInformation on activities, news and meeting schedules are available on the FCWC Web site. Publications FCWC documents and publications can be found on the Committee’s Web site.

Contact

Fishery Committee West Central Gulf of Guinea

4th floor of Fisheries Research Institute Building, Community II area,

PO Box BT 62

Tema

Ghana

Telephone: (+233) 22 20 53 23

Email: secretariat@fcwc-fish.org

Web site: http://www.dcnc-fish.org



Home	About us	Activities	Statistics	GeoInfo	Meetings and News	Publications	Fact Sheets

Logon name:
Password:
×