December 2023 - Sandy Davies (Technical Director), travelled to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, on the 11 – 12 December 2023 to attend the fifteenth Task Force meeting in her capacity as a Stop Illegal Fishing Expert. This meeting was hosted by the West Africa Task Force (WATF) of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC). The Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources (MIRAH), Min. Sidi Touré,opening statement was delivered by his representative Colonel Alain Kodjo .
The purpose of the Task Force meeting is to continue building cooperation in the regions’ fisheries. Sandy Davies delivered presentations on some of the work that Stop Illegal Fishing is doing to support the WATF, including preparing a Sustainability Plan for the FCWC’s Regional MCS Centre and an update of the FCWC regional strategy to combat illegal transshipment in the FCWC region.
The two-day meeting was successful with representatives of the six FCWC Member States Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo attended the fifteen meeting. NFDS is a long term partner to the WATF and works with SIF to deliver their support.
