#Toubacouta – The African Confederation of Professional Organizations of Artisanal Fisheries (CAOPA), in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through the project ”Coastal Fisheries Initiative” in West Africa, trains from 02 to 05 August 2022, in Toubacouta, 33 members of the Local Artisanal Fisheries Councils (CLPA), on “the Voluntary Guidelines for sustainable small-scale fisheries in the context of food security and poverty eradication and on responsible governance of land tenure (VG-SSF – VGGT)”.
The workshop brought together representatives of the different CLPAs in the commune of Toubacouta, working in the small-scale fishing sector (fishermen, fish-wholesalers, processors, supervisors, etc.).
The objective is to strengthen the skills of the different fisheries actors to enable them to appropriate the content of the Guidelines on small-scale fisheries and the VGGT through the use of simple pedagogical tools accessible to the grassroots communities.
The Consultant in Maritime Economics and Fisheries Management, representing the CFI-WA project, Mamadou Thiam, stated that this training consists specifically in “supporting the implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) and a better application of international instruments (SSF-VGGT), by capitalizing on existing experiences; increasing the economic and social value produced by coastal fisheries in order to support human welfare and livelihoods; and paying particular attention to small-scale fisheries.
As an expectation, he hopes that the participants will appropriate the content of the international instruments in order to adopt responsible behaviors in the management and exploitation of fishery resources in Senegal.
For his part, the regional fisheries inspector of Fatick, Ibrahima Lô, welcomed the choice of his jurisdiction to host this training. He invited participants to be assiduous and to learn well so that their training will lead to a positive change in their daily behavior.
During the four (4) days of training, participants will be introduced to the main objectives and basic concepts of VGGT and SSF, logic and principles of VGGT and SSF; the main themes covered by VGGT and SSF-VG, etc.
At the end of this training, a number of results are expected. These include
– The different elements of the training guide on the VG-SSF and the VGGT are mastered;
– The knowledge and skills of the participants on the VG-SSF and the VGGT are shared and reinforced so that they are able to disseminate and apply them in the field for the benefit of the members of the local artisanal fishing councils;
– Recommendations are made on the training guide in order to adapt it to the local context;
– The fishing actors are made aware of the need to maintain a clean and healthy environment.
This workshop is being held within the framework of the “Coastal Fisheries Initiative, West Africa Component (CFI-WA)” project, which aims to provide sustainable environmental, social and economic benefits in West Africa through good governance, proper incentives and innovation.
In West Africa, the CFI is implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in three countries: Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
In the same dynamic, this training will be used to raise awareness among fisheries stakeholders on the standards of hygiene and sanitation that are important for the sustainable development of fishing activities.
Therefore, the day of August 06, 2022 is dedicated to the clean-up of Betenty beach and to the awareness-raising on the harms of plastic waste on the marine environment with the commune of Toubacouta. The training is provided by Mamadou FAYE, CAOPA Technical support, Dawda Foday SAINE, Secretary General of CAOPA, and EL Hadji Abdoulaye COUME, Fishery Officer, CAOPA Technical support.
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Aliou DIALLO