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The regional inception meeting on the "Shared Sardinella" project, under the auspices of the EAF-Nansen Programme, took place from 11 to 14 February at the FAO Headquarters in Rome. Fifteen participants from Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, the Gambia, Norway, and FAO gathered together to foster closer collaboration in research and management of the shared sardinella stocks in Northwest Africa.

Regional inception meeting at the FAO HQs on the "Shared Sardinella” project,  attended by participants from: Morocco, Senegal, Mauritania, the Gambia, and FAO. 11-14 February 2020, Rome © FAO

Sardinella fisheries play a critical socio-economic role for the livelihoods of coastal communities in Northwest Africa. In some countries of the subregion, sardinella is key for ensuring job creation and food security; In other countries, sustainable management of sardinella stocks drives the economic growth.  However, the once abundant sardinella stocks in Northwest Africa are now decreasing.

Currently limited data, or lack of it, together with rapid changes in exploitation, hamper the assessment of the stock. What's more, all available information based on recent regional assessments, carried out by the FAO Working Group on the Assessment of Small Pelagic Fish in Northwest Africa, points to overfishing, particularly of the round sardinella (Sardinella aurita) stock.

This situation is believed to be partly caused by the recent expansion of the fishmeal industry in some countries in the subregion. Although little is known today about the exact composition of catches processed into fish meal, a big portion of it most likely consists of sardinella species.

The increasing fish catches combined with low biomass of the stock call for an urgent concerted action to improve the situation. At the same time, a lack of comprehensive statistics and biological data, insufficient to apply the adopted stock assessment methods, call for taking a precautionary approach.

The FAO Working Group, basing its assessments on the status of the fish stocks in Northwest Africa, makes recommendations to the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) on fisheries management and exploitation options, aimed at ensuring sustainable use of small pelagic fish resources for the benefit of coastal countries.

Strong advice, as per the results of the Working Group's assesments and the suggestions of its Scientific Sub-Committee, was given during the 22nd session of CECAF, held from 17 to 18 September in Libreville, Gabon. It was recommended at the meeting that all countries of the subregion should reduce catches and fishing effort for the two stocks (round sardinella and bonga), in all zones and for all fleets.   

One of the main priorities of the EAF-Nansen Programme ("Supporting the Application of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries considering Climate and Pollution Impacts") is to promote collaboration between countries on shared stocks. In this context, FAO, through the EAF-Nansen Programme,  is supporting a set of agreed activities, to help implement the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) for the shared sardinella stocks in Northwest Africa. The newly-launched "Shared Sardinella" project will be executed at regional and national level. Regional activities, common to the four countries involved, will be managed by the EAF-Nansen Programme or through CECAF, whenever appropriate. Tasks implemented at national scale will respond to the specific needs of the Programme's partner countries, through improving their knowledge on sardinella and supporting the process of fisheries management of these migratory pelagic resources, as appropriate. Partner institutions will be in charge of carrying out the national activities.