3.1 Ivory Coast
3.2 Ghana
3.3 Togo
Two types of fishery are carried out in Ivory Coast:
3.1.1 Industrial Fishery
The industrial fishery predominates; generally using seiners between 18 and 26 m. Since 1975, 21 purse seiners have participated in the fisheries. Until the end of 1972 when the stocks collapsed these seiners fished S. aurita, mostly in Ghana and in the eastern sector of Ivory Coast.
3.1.2 Artisanal Fishery
The artisanal fishery is dominated by Ghanaians, Fanti and Ewé fishermen using canoes between 9 and 12 m long, which are progressively being motorized. This activity brings about large-scale migration of fishermen as is confirmed in the two neighbouring countries: Togo and Ghana. The artisanal catches are not recorded, but they may be assumed to consist largely of Sardinella maderensis since the canoe fishermen are concentrated in west Ivory Coast where this species predominates.
The sardinella (S. aurita and S. maderensis) fisheries in Ghana have been well described by various authors (Kwei, 1964; Ansa-Emmim, 1968 and 1973; Dinglasan, 1972: Dykhuizen and Zei, 1970; Oren and Ofori-Adu, 1975). The S. aurita fishery which is seasonal (late June to September/October) coincides with the main upwelling when colder waters move to the surface. During this period S. aurita moves inshore and shoals at the surface. Fishing for S. aurita is concentrated in the Cape Three Points and Cape St. Paul area on grounds between 18 and 50 m deep. There is a minor season which also coincides with the minor upwelling from December to February. S. maderensis is virtually fished throughout the year. Sardinella is exploited by purse-seine fleet and the artisanal fisheries using various gear. The areas of operation of these fleets overlap considerably.
3.2.1 Artisanal Fishery
The “ali” canoe measuring 12 m long and 1.5m wide (at its widest point) is the traditional craft used in this fishery. There are about 3 000 active ali canoes in the sardinella fisheries; most are mechanized (71.4 percent) with various makes of 25 HP outboard motors.
The traditional gear used in this fishery was the ali net. This net is basically a drift gillnet about 600 m long and 40 m deep. Mesh sizes of netting used differ according to the species sought, being 40 mm for S. aurita and 45 mm for S. maderensis. The net can be operated from surface to midwater and the range of operation is between 15 and 50 m. Ten to fourteen men are needed to handle the net.
The introduction of purse seining in 1959 brought some innovations. The ali net was modified and fitted with purse rings and this modified gear replaced the traditional ali net.
The decline in yield of S. aurita between 1973 and 1975 revived the use of the traditional ali net to exploit the few scattered fish below the surface. Use of the modified ali net continued with reduced mesh sizes to fish juvenile sardinella and anchovy. This net was given several names including: poli, sieve. The poli/sieve net was developed in the Kormantsin area (a village in the centre region of Ghana) before 1972. It became widely used after the collapse of the S. aurita fishery.
A traditional gear similar to the ali and poli is the “atsiki no ye”. This as a complete gear is outmoded but certain of its characteristics can be found in both ali and poli nets. The poli/sieve net is operated in shallow waters. The net, which measures about 450 m long and 45 m deep, has two main sections with mesh sizes of 1 cm and 1.5 cm.
The beach seines also exploit the two sardinella species. The net is mainly operated in the areas of concentration of the young, whether pelagic or demersal species. The average distance from the shoreline to where the net is set is about 1 to 2 km. It requires 30 to 50 men to haul a small net and 50 to 100 men for a big net. The size of beach-seine nets varies from 480 m long (excluding ropes) by 8 m deep to 1 640 m long by 22 m deep.
3.2.2 Semi-Industrial/Industrial Fishery
Two types of vessels are used for the exploitation of sardinella. Those less than 12 m long and the others between 12 and 22 m long.
The small vessels (12 m) are multipurpose and, depending upon the season, can operate both the trawl net for demersal species and the small purse seine for pelagic species. The small purse seine net, usually referred to as “ringnet” in Ghana, measures about 400 m long and 40 m deep and has mean mesh size of about 25 mm. These small vessels operate at depths ranging from 18 to 50 m.
Most of the medium sized vessels are also multipurpose trawler/purse seiners. The purse-seine net used by this fleet is about 700 to 800 m long and about 70 m deep. This fleet operates at depths ranging from 20 to 50 m.
The sardinella fisheries of Togo are mainly composed of the artisanal sector using both mechanized and non-mechanized canoes. Gear used are the same as described for Ghana. S. aurita is fished from late June to September/October while S. maderensis is fished all year round. Fishing grounds are very close inshore, between 10 and 15 m and concentrated in the east. The fleet is composed mainly of migrant fishermen from Ghana.
