The PESCAO project, funded under the European Development Fund (EDF), aims over the coming five years to improve regional fisheries governance in Western Africa. This will include developing a regional fishing policy, putting in place regional coordination against IUU fishing and improving fish stock management at regional level. The EUR 15 million project is one of the many significant commitments to ocean conservation made by the European Union at the 2017 Our Ocean Conference hosted by the EU in Malta.

 “The European Fisheries Control Agency is eager to extend its existing cooperation with fisheries control authorities in the European Union Waters to its two African partners in this project. The Agency considers the PESCAO project of cooperation as a game changer aiming at improving sustainability of fisheries resources through improved monitoring, control and surveillance at national and regional levels,” said Pascal Savouret, Executive Director.