In collaboration with regional organizations and 32 countries across Africa and the Bay of Bengal, the EAF-Nansen Programme is improving fisheries management in line with the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF), strengthening the capacities of fisheries institutions and generating scientific knowledge on marine resources and ecosystems.
Building on lessons learned from previous phases, the current Programme contributes to improved food and nutrition security. From 2024-2028, it will focus on bridging science and fisheries management for strengthened ocean governance, while addressing challenges like pollution and climate change.
It contributes to FAO's vision for FAO's vision for the Blue Transformation of aquatic food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all.
EAF-Nansen Programme and the UN Decade of Ocean Science
In 2021, the Programme became part of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) – a UN-wide initiative that provides a common framework for international dialogue and global action to ensure that ocean science can fully support nations to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Being a UN Decade Action Programme, it actively contributes to six of the ten Ocean Decade Challenges, and is fully aligned with the mission to generate transformative ocean science solutions for the ocean, while fostering connections between people and the ocean [more].
Identification guide to macro jellyfish of West Africa
11/02/2022
This identification guide includes 56 species of macro (> 5 cm in diameter) jellyfishes (cnidarians, ctenophores, and thaliaceans) that are known to occur off the coast of West Africa. It provides fully illustrated dichotomous keys to all taxa, an illustrated glossary of technical terms for each main group, and species accounts including the scientific name, diagnostic features, colour, size, ecology, stinging, geographical distribution, and one or more illustrations. The guide is intended for both specialists, and non-specialists who have a working knowledge of biology.
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Legal report on the ecosystem approach to fisheries in Guinea
05/02/2022
The present legal report on the EAF used the diagnostic tool to assess the alignment of selected policy and legal instruments of Guinea with the EAF. This assessment analysed the extent to which 82 EAF legal requirements, which are considered the minimum standards in legislating for the EAF, are reflected in Guinea's policies and legislation relevant to the fisheries sector of the country and other relevant sectors (such as environment, wildlife, ecosystems, and maritime affairs).
Identification and analysis of marine fisheries research - Case studies from selected countries in the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) area of competence
02/02/2022
During 2020, the ASFA Secretariat supported the CECAF-PESCAO project by compiling an inventory of marine fisheries research produced in nine countries (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Spain).
Legislating for an ecosystem approach to fisheries – Revisited. An update of the 2011 legal study on the ecosystem approach to fisheries
15/12/2021
The present work was prepared with a view to provide current information on how the EAF is being implemented through national legal frameworks of selected countries in Africa.
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Outil de suivi de la mise en œuvre de l’approche écosystémique des pêches (AEP). Togo – Rapport d’évaluation des progrès réalisés entre août 2020 et novembre 2021 en matière de gestion des pêches
01/12/2021
La deuxième notation de la pêcherie de la senne de plage au Togo a été réalisée en novembre 2021 par un groupe de gestionnaires des pêches, de scientifiques et de pêcheurs représentants de la pêcherie de la senne de plage au Togo. La première notation avait été réalisée en août 2020, peu après le démarrage du projet d’appui à la mise en oeuvre du plan d’aménagement de la senne de plage au Togo, soutenu par le programme EAF-Nansen.
Outil de suivi de la mise en œuvre de l’approche écosystémique des pêches (AEP). Bénin – Rapport d’évaluation des progrès réalisés entre août 2020 et novembre 2021 en matière de gestion des pêches
01/12/2021
La deuxième notation de la pêcherie de la senne de plage pour la mise en œuvre de l'approche écosystémique appliquée à la gestion des pêches (AEP) au Bénin a été réalisée en novembre 2021 par un groupe de gestionnaires des pêches, de scientifiques et de pêcheurs. La première notation avait été réalisée en août 2020, peu après le démarrage du projet d’appui à la mise en œuvre du plan d’aménagement de la senne de plage au Bénin, soutenu par le programme EAF-Nansen. L’outil de suivi de la mise en œuvre de l’AEP, a été développé pour permettre de suivre les progrès de la mise en oeuvre de l’AEP et les réalisations en matière de gestion durable des pêches. Il permet d’évaluer pour une pêcherie, le niveau de mise en œuvre de l’AEP à plusieurs niveaux, à l’échelle d’un enjeu particulier, d’une composante de l’AEP ou sur l’ensemble de la pêcherie.
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Outil de suivi de la mise en œuvre de l’approche écosystémique des pêches (AEP). Côte d'Ivoire – Rapport d’évaluation des progrès réalisés entre août 2020 et novembre 2021 en matière de gestion des pêches
01/12/2021
La deuxième notation de la pêcherie de la senne de plage en Côte d’Ivoire a été réalisée en novembre 2021 par un groupe de gestionnaires des pêches, de scientifiques et de pêcheurs représentants de la pêcherie de la senne de plage en Côte d’Ivoire. La première notation avait été réalisée en août 2020, peu après le démarrage du projet d’appui à la mise en oeuvre du plan d’aménagement de la senne de plage en Côte d’Ivoire, soutenu par le programme EAF Nansen.
Management of beach seine fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea. An initiative of the EAF-Nansen Programme
07/10/2021
The projects to support the management of beach seine fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea are aimed at supporting the implementation of concerted management plans in order to harmonize fisheries management through regional collaboration.The projects contribute to the expected results of the EAF-Nansen Programme, particularly that fisheries management institutions manage fisheries according to the EAF principles and related indicators.
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Description of two new species of sandlances, genus Bleekeria (Perciformes, Ammodytidae) from the Andaman Sea (northeastern Indian Ocean)
01/10/2021
Two new species of Bleekeria Günther, 1862 are described from specimens collected in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Myanmar during bottom surveys conducted by the R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen in 2015 and 2018.
Ecosystem approach to fisheries implementation monitoring tool - A tool to monitor implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) management - User manual
16/08/2021
The ecosystem approach to fisheries implementation monitoring tool (EAF IMT) is a tool for decision support and planning in the fisheries management process. ES: https://openknowledge.fao.org/items/fe68aae2-745c-4bb1-bf52-ce22c5133a8b
Supporting the implementation of the small and medium pelagic fisheries management plan in mainland United Republic of Tanzania. An initiative by the EAF-Nansen Programme
02/04/2021
The project Supporting the implementation of the United Republic of Tanzania’s small and medium pelagic fisheries management plan is based on the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) and focuses on strengthening capacities, structures as well as processes for fisheries management. The project is designed to support the implementation of the plan, mainly through the establishment of a functional fisheries management cycle (FMC).
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Shared sardinella: Supporting the implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries for the management of shared sardinella stocks in northwest Africa
25/03/2021
The project responds to the need for regional collaboration on the management of shared sardinella stocks. On the regional and national level, the projects aim to promote an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) in strengthening capacities, structures and fisheries management processes through the development and use of the fisheries management cycle (FMC).
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A diagnostic tool for implementing an ecosystem approach to fisheries through policy and legal frameworks
23/03/2021
The implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) contributes to sustainable fisheries in various ways. One of them is by reviewing national policy and legal instruments to identify gaps, which prevent a country from progressing towards full alignment with, and implementation of, an EAF. This diagnostic tool builds on the previous work of FAO by translating the 17 EAF components identified in the How-to Guide on legislating for an EAF into an EAF Legal Checklist. A diagnostic tool for implementing an EAF through policy and legal frameworks were developed to help legal practitioners, policymakers and fisheries managers in assessing and implementing an EAF.
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Workshop to plan activities for the implementation of the United Republic of Tanzania small and medium pelagic fishery management plan, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania 3–5 July 2018
12/02/2021
Under the EAF-Nansen Programme (Supporting the application of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries management considering climate and pollution impacts), a national workshop was organized at the premises of the FAO Representation in Dar es Salaam, the United Republic of Tanzania, from 3 to 5 July 2018. The objective of the workshop was to discuss follow-up actions for the implementation of the United Republic of Tanzania small and medium pelagic fisheries management plan (AFMP).
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Two new species of the genus Chelidoperca (Perciformes: Serranidae) from the Andaman Sea, eastern Indian Ocean
05/02/2021
Two new species of the genus Chelidoperca are described from specimens collected in 2015 and 2018 from the Andaman Sea, off the coast of Myanmar during trawl bottom surveys conducted by the R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen.
Grammatonotus bianchi, a new species of splendid perch (Percoidei: Callanthiidae) from Myanmar, northeastern Indian Ocean
01/01/2021
A new splendid perch, Grammatonotus bianchi sp. nov. is described on the basis of two specimens (45.9–68.7 mm SL) collected at 184 m depth in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Myanmar during bottom surveys conducted by the R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen in 2018. The new species can be distinguished from all congeners by its large head (37.7–38.6% SL), large orbit (14.4–15.3% SL), caudal-fin shape, and fresh coloration. A key to Indian Ocean species of Grammatonotus is provided.
The EAF-Nansen Programme Science Plan
18/12/2020
This document describes the overall principles and main thematic areas of the EAF-Nansen Programme Science Plan, including the use of the research vessel (R/V) Dr Fridtjof Nansen as a key tool for fieldwork. Three main research areas were identified, dealing with impacts of fishing, oil/gas activities and presence of contaminants, and climate variability and change on marine resources and ecosystems. These research areas are then subdivided into 11 main themes.
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Report of the Twenty-Second Session of the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic, Libreville, Gabon, 17–19 September 2019 / Rapport de la vingt-deuxième Session du Comité des pêches pour l’Atlantique centre-est, Libreville, Gabon, 17-19 septembre 2019
16/12/2020
This document is the final report of the twenty-second session of the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF), held in Libreville, Gabon from 17 to 19 September 2019. Major topics discussed were: (i) action on recommendations from ...
Interregional workshop on the management of shared stocks and implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries within the framework of the EAF-Nansen Programme, Dakar, Senegal 24–26 April 2018 / Atelier interrégional sur la gestion des stocks partagé
16/11/2020
The objective of the workshop was to examine with the representatives of partner institutions and principal initiatives the current situation and related activities pertaining to shared stocks by identifying the needs and opportunities to support the management of fisheries exploiting shared stocks within the framework of the EAF-Nansen Programme.
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Organic and inorganic contaminants in marine sediments off Northern Mozambique
16/11/2020
The report presents the results of the measurements of grain size, total organic carbon (TOC), hydrocarbons and metals in surface sediments (>100 samples) collected from 40 locations off the coast of northern Mozambique during an environmental survey in March–April 2018.
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