West Africa Fishery Partnership for Competitiveness and Sustainability

Project Summary:

The project aimed to stem the tide of illegal fisheries catches in West Africa. Fisheries are a $3-billion-a-year business in West Africa, employing more than 3 million people and providing up to 50 percent of the total animal protein intake for a number of countries in the region. But with dramatic illegal catches, estimated at up to 45 percent of the legal catch, or $1.3 billion annually, fish stocks and food security remain at risk. This World Bank KGGTF-funded green growth implementation program will create efficient and effective, regionally connected monitoring and surveillance systems that will help coastal communities grow green economies and improve the health of fish stocks. The program will test an affordable and effective surveillance strategy, upgrade marine vessel monitoring and information systems, and include knowledge sharing with Korean partners and South American and South East Asian counterparts. By consolidating and promoting sustainable and productive uses of renewable marine resources, in addition to building on improved fisheries governance, the region will not only prepare for projected climate change impacts, it will also unlock growth that benefits poor and vulnerable populations and helps restore West African economies.

List of Activities:

• Integrated sub-regional monitoring, surveillance, and control ICT strategy and implementation plan.
• AIS/VTMIS deployment and use of combating IUU
• New IUU surveillance technology identification and testing
• Capacity-building and knowledge dissemination, including south-south exchanges

Outcomes:

Output 1

• 1-1. Stakeholder consultations completed
• 1-2. Surveillance ICT strategy developed
• 1-3. Implementation of investment plan prepared

Output 2

• 2-1. Action plan for improving port-state control  communication and coordination prepared
• 2-2. Investment blueprint  for  improved AIS/VTMIS coverage prepared

Output 3

• 3-1. Pilot technologies tested
• 3-2. Implementation model and protocols prepared

Output 4

• 4-1. Knowledge exchange tours completed, including knowledge exchanges with Korea on improving flag state/port state control operational coordination and collaboration
• 4-2. Regional knowledge events organized

Outcomes:

The proposed FPCS established a strong technological foundation to enable West African countries to enhance economic growth and food security by reducing illegal fishing in their waters. At the country level, the FPCS identified and introduced cost-effective solutions for strengthening IUU monitoring, surveillance, and control, both nationally and regionally. The FPCS was scaled up at the World Bank operational level by virtue of it directly informing the design and implementation on-going and planned WAFRP investment projects, leveraging a total over $228 million of IDA and GEF resources. Importantly, with IUU curtailment remaining a major issue for a number of WB client countries, the FPCS catalytic potential expands well beyond its West Africa geographical focus and to on-going and/or planned WB operations in Indonesia, the Pacific Islands, and the Eastern Pacific.

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

• WBG internal partners:  The FPCS will be jointly led by GPENDR’s Global Public Goods and AFR practices, in close collaboration with our  GP Transport and ICT and SURR colleagues.
• K-Partners: To be confirmed in consultation with the KGGP Secretariat. Korean partners are sought after as a source of knowledge and operational and technological know-how as well as to help broaden the dialogue on sustainable fishery services in the region. 
• Other external partners: FAO, USA, UK, GEF, NDF and Environmental Justice Foundation