As part of the West Africa Task Force (WATF) initiative, the National Working Group (NWG) of Benin held its first workshop from 25 to 27 May 2016 in Cotonou, Benin. The event was organised in cooperation with the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) Secretariat in the framework of the project “Fisheries intelligence and Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) support in West Africa” with the technical support of Trygg Mat Tracking (TMT), Stop Illegal Fishing, NFDS and funding from Norad.

The opening ceremony was presided by Mr. Toko Abdoulaye, Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Benin, with the programme being welcomed by the Beninese fisheries stakeholders invited for the occasion. It was highlighted that this inter-agency workshop to build national cooperation and capacity for the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing was of paramount importance for Benin. Dr. Antoine Djihinto, the country’s Fisheries Director, indicated that “Benin marine waters offer economic potential to fishermen but these waters are now, like other West African waters, the target of an organised seabed looting, which jeopardises the people food security whose nutritional balance depends very much.” He also added that given the seriousness of this scourge which is now considered as part of environmental crime, the fisheries sector administration alone cannot ensure an effective monitoring, control and surveillance system, there is a need to work with partner agencies for appropriate solutions.

The workshop began with a review of the objectives and activities of the West Africa Task Force at the regional and national level, including the goal to develop strong inter-agency MCS cooperation. Participants then identified the common violations, as well as the operational and legal challenges facing the monitoring, control and surveillance of the fisheries sectors in Benin.  Following this exercise, concerns and needs relating to strengthening inter-agency cooperation were explored. Mr Brito Urbain, the Head of sanitary control of fisheries products, noted the absence of inter-agency synergy and a formal cooperation agreement, as well as the absence of means and mechanisms to carry out investigations in order to curb IUU fishing. Mr Duncan Copeland, Chief Analyst of TMT and technical advisor to the West Africa Task Force, noted that effective fisheries intelligence sharing and analysis, and inter-agency cooperation are key factors in identifying illegal operators and will be key to Benin’s capacity in reducing the rate of illegal fishing in Benin.