EAF-Nansen Programme strengthens its regional impact at the SRFC high-level events in Dakar

1 to 3 July 2025, Dakar, Senegal – The EAF-Nansen Programme participated in a series of high-level events organized by the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC), including the 21st Coordination Committee Meeting, the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the SRFC, and the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Conference of Ministers. These events brought together ministers, national fisheries directors, technical experts, and development partners to advance regional cooperation in the sustainable management of marine resources.

The EAF-Nansen Programme maintained a display stand, serving as a focal point for engagement. The stand featured a continuous screening of the documentary Sardinella: A Shared Responsibility, which attracted significant interest from delegates, technical experts, and media. It also showcased the EAF Toolbox, key publications, and communication products highlighting the Programme’s work and its 50th anniversary.

The stand was visited by Kaia Bilton, representing the Embassy of Norway in Senegal, who expressed appreciation for the Programme’s longstanding support to the SRFC and emphasized Norway’s commitment to regional ocean sustainability.

Left/Top: Matthieu Bernardon, Kaia Bilton, and Ibrahim Hama, at the EAF-Nansen Programme display stand. Right/Bottom: Manuel Barange, FAO Assistant Director-General and Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, at the opening of the Conference of Ministers. ©FAO/Ibrahim Hama

The EAF-Nansen Programme contributed to the policy dialogue by presenting a policy brief on small pelagic fisheries management and a roadmap for developing a sub-regional framework for shared sardinella stocks, based on the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF). These contributions were well-received by member states and regional experts, aligning with SRFC’s broader objectives.

During the Conference of Ministers’ opening, a video message from Manuel Barange, FAO Assistant Director-General and Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, reaffirmed the strategic importance of the EAF-Nansen Programme’s partnership with the SRFC in advancing science-based fisheries governance, capacity development, and ecosystem preservation.

The Programme’s participation garnered significant media coverage, with over twenty outlets, including televised news, print articles, and digital media, amplifying its messages and increasing public awareness of its role in supporting science-based fisheries management in West Africa.

The events concluded with the adoption of the SRFC Strategic Plan 2025–2029, emphasizing ecosystem protection, biodiversity, sustainable aquaculture, and a regional blue economy approach. The EAF-Nansen Programme reiterated its commitment to supporting the implementation of this strategy in partnership with the SRFC and member countries.

The Programme’s active engagement underscored its role as a trusted partner, advancing sustainable management of West Africa’s marine ecosystems and resources through technical expertise, visibility, and long-term collaboration.

About the Programme

The EAF-Nansen Programme, celebrating 50 years in 2025, is FAO and Norway’s longest-running fisheries development initiative. Executed with the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (IMR), regional organizations, and 32 countries across Africa and the Bay of Bengal, it supports sustainable fisheries management for food and nutrition security.

It contributes to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) and 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.