THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL FISHING IN

West Africa
Estimated global losses from IUU fishing
could be as high as 37%
$23.5 billion annually

West Africa West Africa

Is a global hotspot for illegal losses
fishing with estimated losses
of $1.3 billion, of which the
$1.3b 0 20 40 60 80 100

6 FCWC countries, who form

WATF of all fish caught in West Africa are
caught illegally
the West Africa Task Force losses
lose $300 million a year.
$300m

Distant Water Fishing Main countries: It is reported that

Nations from all over China China expanded their
the world target the Taiwan West Africa fishing
fish-rich waters of
the Gulf of Guinea.
GULF
OF Russia operations from: 462 vessels
G South Korea
Spain 13 vessels
UI
NE

France
A

Thailand
1985 2013
This is 1/5th of the total Chinese distant water fleet

Fish is vital for the health, economies

and food security of African countries:
1,200,000 3,000 30 60 800,000

700,000
1,000,000 2,500 25 50
600,000
800,000 2,000 20 40
500,000

600,000 1,500 15 30 400,000

300,000
400,000 1,000 10 20
200,000
200,000 500 5 10
100,000

0 0 0 0 0

Fish production (MT) Contribution to GDP Per capita consumption Contribution to % People employed in
(FAO - 2012) in USD millions in kg animal protein consumed fisheries sector

Benin Côte d’Ivoire Ghana Liberia Nigeria Togo

Illegal fishing Illegal fishing operators

Illegal fishing has devastating social,
economic and environmental costs.
Countries are deprived of money that
could fund development and economic
growth. Fish stocks are depleted making it
harder for small-scale fishers to support
their families.
Damaging fishing methods
destroy marine environments.
Evidence shows that illegal fishing operators not only fail to comply
with fisheries rules and regulations but are part of highly organised,
transnational criminal operations involved in a range of criminal activity:
• Document forgery
• Money laundering
• Tax evasion
• Human trafficking and human rights abuses
• Smuggling of arms, weapons, drugs and wildlife
• Piracy
• Environmental crimes
To tackle fisheries crime requires the involvement and commitment
of many agencies nationally, regionally and internationally.
 THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL FISHING IN

West Africa
The West Africa Task Force How can we stop illegal fishing?
member countries: • By working together as a region

Top 10 violations • Through national interagency cooperation

• Through supporting international processes and agreements
• No valid license
such as the Port State Measures Agreement and the African
• Unauthorised gear or methods Union Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries
• Fishing in prohibited areas and Aquaculture in Africa
• Forged documents
•
•
False or inaccurate information on catches
Illegal transhipment
How is the FCWC and the West
• Trade in illegally caught fish Africa Task Force helping?
• Targeting unauthorised species
• The six FCWC member countries – Benin, Côte d’Ivoire,
• Damage to artisanal gear and vessels Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo – are the founding countries.
Together they are working as the WATF to share intelligence
Challenges and cooperate on fisheries controls
• A combined EEZ of 700,000 km2 • The WATF has established interagency National Working
• Low capacity to monitor and control waters Groups, these will enable a more effective response to
• Weak regional and national inter-agency cooperation illegal fishing
• Legal frameworks weak or not implemented • The WATF is supporting and championing national and
• Corruption international measures that are key to successfully stopping
illegal fishing

The West Africa Task Force has been

established to help stop these violations and
increase compliance in the fisheries sector.

What is the West Africa Task Force achieving?

Activity Methods Results
Gathering and sharing intelligence COMMUNICATIONS STRENGTHENED REGIONAL COOPERATION
PLATFORM
Sharing licensing information
ESTABLISHED WORKING PRACTICES
Requesting and receiving country TASK FORCE MEETINGS • AGREED TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE TASK FORCE
to country support • ACTIVITY OF THE TF EMBEDDED IN THE FCWC WORKPLAN
TRAINING WORKSHOPS
Requesting and receiving
technical support MCS ACTIONS AND PROCESS
TOOLBOX
• STRENGTHENED DUE DILIGENCE FOR LICENSING
Building inter-agency cooperation – MANUALS
AND FLAGGING
– PRESENTATIONS
Taking enforcement actions – FORMS • VESSEL INSPECTIONS AS A RESULT OF SHARED
INTELLIGENCE
Strengthening MCS capacity • COUNTRY TO COUNTRY REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE
TECHNICAL
Building national, regional and SUPPORT • LICENSE AND FLAGGING APPLICATION DENIAL
international awareness • VESSEL ARRESTS, AND RESULTING FINES
COST-EFFECTIVE • INVESTIGATIONS INTO BROADER FLEETS AND OWNERS
Ensuring a common TECHNOLOGY
regional approach • DEVELOP A REGIONAL REEFER CONTROL STRATEGY

A Technical Team made up of the FCWC Secretariat, Trygg Mat Tracking, Stop Illegal Fishing and NFDS supports the West Africa Task Force, with funding from Norad.
WC
FC

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