The West Africa Task Force: Cooperation. Collaboration. Communication provides an insight into the establishment and operation of the West Africa Task Force.

Established in 2015, the West Africa Task Force (WATF) brings together the six member countries of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) – Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo – to tackle illegal fishing and stop the trade in illegally caught fish.

Through the routine sharing and cross checking of information, analysis of vessel tracking information and through capacity building the WATF has engaged in a range of activities and investigations. This report highlights of some of the enforcement actions, investigations and reforms that highlight the growing cooperation between and within the National Working Groups. The WATF has built on the existing commitments, structure and cooperation provided by the FCWC. By delivering an active platform to operationalise existing information sharing agreements stronger connections and relationships have been built between members and consequently more effective enforcement action is resulting.

The WATF has been based on the same principles of regional cooperation and information sharing that has proved so successful for the FISH-i Africa Task Force in the Western Indian Ocean. Sandy Davies, Stop Illegal Fishing, commented, “It is great to see the lessons learned from FISH-i being used in other regions around the world. The FCWC region is a significant importer, exporter and processor of fish so stopping illegal fishing there requires an additional focus on the processing, trade and transportation of fish in and out of the region.”

What’s happening in the FCWC region?

The report marks the end of the first phase of the WATF, with a second phase planned for 2017.