4. RECOMMENDATIONS

As a result of the seminar held from the 3rd to the 5th of December 1991 in Cotonou, on the theme of artisanal fishermen's migration, the participants recommend :

I. Information and follow-up of the question

1.      Wide diffusion of the information and recommendations resulting from the seminar in Cotonou and that of Kokrobite (6th - 9th November 1990) to :

• the Governments of the countries in the region, with copies to the Ministries supervising fisheries, Fishery Departments and marine research institutes.
• Regional and Sub-regional Organizations :

o ECOWAS ; UDEAC ; CEAO.

o Ministerial Conference on Fisheries Cooperation Between States Bordering the Atlantic Ocean (from Morocco to Angola).

o Sub-regional Fisheries Commission (Mauritania, Cap-Verde, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea).

o Regional Fisheries Committee of the Gulf of Guinea - COREP (Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sao-Tomé and Principe, Gabon, Zaïre).

o Lake Chad Basin Commission - CBLT (Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, Chad).

o CECAF.

• Continental and International Organizations

o OAU ; ADB ;

o FAO ; ILO ; World Bank.

It is also recommended :

2.      That the question of migrant fishermen be followed closely by all the organizations and institutions concerned and that active research be carried out so as to define the means of management more adapted to the diverse situations found in the region.

3.      To set up means to follow the movements of people and property associated with artisanal fisheries in those countries where such means are non-existent and to periodically evaluate the socio-economic importance of such movements.

4.      To facilitate, in accordance with those measures that can be taken on a regional level, the comparability of information relating to these movements as well as the exchange of information between national institutions.

5.      To encourage collaboration between fisheries administrations, representatives of the fishing communities and consular representatives of the countries concerned, so as to improve the monitoring of fishermen's migrations.

II. REGIONAL AND SUB-REGIONAL COORDINATION AND COOPERATION

Recognizing that artisanal fishermen's migrations are but a reflection of the characteristics of the fishery sector as well as the great interdependency of the different fisheries and their economies in the region, the seminar recommends :

6.      To work towards the harmonizing of legislation and regulations through mutual consultations between the different countries in the region or a given sub-region.

7.      To encourage and coordinate national and regional research efforts on fisheries management and migrations and to stimulate cooperation between research institutes and national fishery departments in the region.

8.      To encourage the signing of bilateral and/or multilateral agreements facilitating the movements of artisanal fishermen as well as the interregional flow brought about as a result, especially in regards to commerce and food supply.

9.      To work together and in close collaboration with the ECOWAS, UDEAC, the Ministerial Conference and all other competent institutions, towards the gradual establishment of a regional framework responsible for the management of artisanal fishermen's migrations and other associated migrations.

10.  To bear in mind the isolation of certain communities, as well as the problems of convertibility of different currencies.

III. NATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF FISHERIES

Recognizing the positive impact of migrant fishermen on national fisheries economies, especially with respect to the production and supply of animal protein, the creation of employment and technological progress, but also recognizing the occasional occurrence of friction and even conflicts caused mainly by misunderstandings or management problems in the sector, the participants recommend :

11.  To make migrant fishermen aware, in their country of origin as well as in the host country, of the laws, regulations and agreements applicable to artisanal fisheries and fishermen's migrations in the countries or zones of destination, and to ensure that existing national arrangements be applied.

12.  To protect migrant fishermen, a particularly vulnerable category of people, against administrative misuse of authority, and to this end carry out active policies aimed at sensitizing relevant national services.

13.  To advise host country governments to help facilitate the reception and sojourn procedures concerning migrant fishermen and allow them access to the same subsidiary services as the local population.

14.  To take into account migrations auxiliary to fishing in the above-mentioned measures as well as in the management of fisheries in general.

15.  To prioritize the prevention of conflicts and to try to solve them at a local level, with the help of local administrations.

16.  To encourage integration of the economic activities of the migrants and local populations within the fishing sector (crew formation, transfer of techniques), within artisanal processing as well as the commercialization of marine products.

Within this context and bearing in mind the vital and dynamic role played by women in West African fisheries, it is particularly recommended, when relevant :

17.  To encourage cooperation between the migrant and local women in the processing and commercialization of the fish rather than exclude one or the other of these two categories.

The seminar finally recommends :

18.  That host countries allow migrant fishermen to carry out their customs and traditions, within the limits of the laws in force in these countries.

19.  To acknowledge the positive role of traditional and community institutions set up by the migrant fishermen, or local communities, and therefore to try to include them into fisheries management, inter-communal relations and solution of conflicts.

20.  To work towards creating relationships of confidence between the administrators and fishermen, including migrant fishermen, by making the administrations more accessible to the fishermen.

21.  To encourage the diffusion of existing information on artisanal fisheries and the role of migrant fishermen, for the purpose of improved fisheries management and educating communities and administrative agents.