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The EAF-Nansen Programme fielded a mission to Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin in November 2018 as part of the Programme’s support for the implementation of management plans for beach seine fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea.

The objectives of the mission were to assess the status of implementation of the beach seine management plan in each country, to understand recent developments in the fisheries sector since 2013 when the plans were completed and approved for implementation and the need for possible updates, to identify other projects and initiatives in place that could be in synergy with or in support of the implementation of the beach seine fisheries management plan, and to prioritize activities from the plan that could be supported by the EAF-Nansen Programme.

In each country, the team had initial discussions with the Director of Fisheries, the Focal Point of the Programme and relevant staff of the FAO Representation. A national workshop, attended by stakeholders, was then held to review activities included in the management plan, to identify priority actions and to agree on implementation modalities including the role of a national implementation or steering committees.

The mission noted that in all three countries key actions have been taken towards implementation of the management plans.

Jacqueville, Cote d’Ivoire: Beach seine fishers at work © FAO	Jacqueville, Cote d’Ivoire: Fish and weeds in the bag of the beach seine net © FAO
National workshop in Lome, Togo © FAO	Participants of the National workshop in Cotonou, Benin © FAO