1144 MBOUR

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caopa.peche@gmail.com

(+221) 33 954 70 90

Charter

For sustainable and responsible fisheries

We, small-scale fisheries professional organisations in Africa, embracing the vision, mission, values and principles enshrined in this charter, conscious and convinced that small-scale fishing communities constitute a social and cultural pillar in Africa, pledge to enforce and comply with this charter which is henceforth our fundamental reference to guide our strategic directions, relations and actions.

The charter has a double aim:

Serving as a guide and providing a framework for the relations of partnership between national small-scale fisheries professional organisations of any Member State and

  • the various ministries and agencies thereto attached in each country;
    • sub-regional institutions dealing with fisheries, in particular the Sub Regional Fisheries Committee and similar organizations;
  • Sub regional institutions such as ECOWAS, UEMOA and CEMAC, among others;
    • The African Union Economic Commission;
    • The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD);
    • National and international institutions supporting and financing the development of small-scale fisheries, in particular those of the United Nations system;
    • The international and national private sectors; and
    • Southern and Northern civil society organisations supporting the sector.

Setting orientations and benchmarks to monitor the fulfilment of the Confederation’s mission.

I.1  Vision

The African small-scale fisheries professional organisations defend the material and moral interests of their members; their legitimacy to fulfil this role is recognised by governments as well as national and international institutions; they are involved in defining policies for responsible and sustainable fisheries which contribute in fighting poverty, but also in improving women’s working conditions and involvement in decision-making; small-scale fisheries are recognised as a powerhouse of economic development in Africa and a priority sector of investment to primarily ensure food security and jobs for the most vulnerable groups (women and young people).

I.2  Mission

In conjunction with national federations, COAPA

  1. Works with governments as well as national and international institutions at defining and implementing sustainable fisheries policies, preventing and address trans-border conflicts, starting an African dynamic of fisheries development, and adding value the resource to ensure the well being of small-scale fishing communities;
  1. Sustains efforts ensuring that gender is mainstreamed into decision-making processes and that fisheries policies are implemented;
    1. Supports small-scale fishing communities to develop by helping them better appreciate and use the resource in a sustainable manner, get involved in implementing and taking advantage of fisheries policies, empower grassroots organisations so that their interests are defended locally, work together to resolve conflicts, enhance their capacities to effectively draw out the value of the said resources.
  1. Pledges to participate in joint management, to develop proposal capabilities and communication strategies to influence fisheries policies;
  • Capitalises and disseminates experiences and lessons from good and bad practices;
  • Mobilizes both the financial and intellectual resources needed to support the development of the African Confederation of Small- scale Fisheries Professional Organisations;
  • Is henceforth and will remain a force of proposal in the face of States and all other national and international development partners;

I.3  Foundations, principles and values governing the

African Confederation of Small-scale Fisheries Professional Organisations

Embracing the common values and interest in defend the interests of small-scale fisheries professionals – transparency, integrity, loyalty, justice, responsibility, solidarity and peace, the true centrality of actors  in consultation on defining and implementing fisheries policies,

CAOPA adopts the following principles:

I.3.1 Complying with non-governmental, apolitical as well as non- religious and non-profit ethics;

1.3.2 Recognising the state in its official functions as the leading partner of organizations of small-scale fisheries professionals in Africa;

1.3.2 Using any legal means to defend the material and moral interests of all small-scale fisheries professional organizations that are member – or not – of CAOPA;

  • Never working at the expense of member organisations or small- scale fisheries;
  • Preventing and working at resolving conflicts;
  • Remaining independent in thinking and in action;
  • Fulfilling our commitments;
  • Seeking consensus from a permanent and constructive dialogue between the professionals of all the countries in the respect of each country’s specific features;
  • Committing to the grassroots development of small-scale fisheries professional organisations;
  • Defending the mainstreaming of gender in general and women in particular in fisheries policies;
  • Working resolutely at establishing good governance in all the member organisations;
  • Undertaking to defend responsible and sustainable fisheries under all legal forms;
  • Protecting the marine environment and coastal ecosystems against all forms of pollution or degradation detrimental to the resource;
  • Committing to combat illegal fishing and bad fishing practices;
  • Working with the research sector to use its findings and integrate technical and technological innovations into efforts to ensure the best future of the resource for future generations.
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