No fewer than 50 experts from the subregion are expected to gather in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire to fashion out action plans in dealing with illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing within ECOWAS member states.
The sub-region is said to lose around $2 billion annually.
‘A statement by Mr. Joel Ahofodji, ECOWAS Communication Depertment quoted Amb. Abdel Fatau MUSAH, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, to have said: “illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing remains widespread in our region, causing an estimated loss of more than 2 billion dollars a year, which has a negative impact on the livelihoods and security of our countries,” Ambassador Abdel Fatau MUSAH, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, said at the opening of the technical meeting of Member State Experts.
The meeting got underway on Tuesday 18 March 2025, with Mr Sidi Tiémoko Toure, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries Resources of Côte d’Ivoire, officially launching the three day event.