GHANA: Building on calls to create a Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels (RRAFV), participants at the recent meeting of the West Africa Task Force (WATF) of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) discussed the operational considerations for establishing such a database.

SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa currently has only five qualified naval architects at its disposal both within the private sector and within the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) – a situation that is resulting in challenges relating to the surveying and certification of fishing vessels.

SOUTH AFRICA: Fishers are six times more likely to succumb to fatal incidents while working; three times more likely to be in treatment for substance misuse and are more vulnerable to suicide than the general population.

EGYPT: Launched at the beginning of November by the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), the Crew Change service to Canal-transiting vessels has reportedly been well-received by passing traffic.

SENEGAL: An Atlantic Ocean tuna fishery has become the first fishery in Senegal attain accreditation from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) following four-year Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) that was undertaken in collaboration with the national fisheries department and Key Traceability, a seafood supply chain consultancy.

SEYCHELLES: The Seychelles Fisheries Authority named their new surveillance vessel, which will improve monitoring of fishing activities in the island’s waters, at a ceremony this week.

GABON: Maritime stakeholders gathered to discuss the development of a roadmap to establish clear guidelines for the sustainable governance of Gabon’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) last week in a consultative meeting hosted by AU-IBAR and the Regional Fisheries Committee for the Gulf of Guinea (COREP).

GHANA: A six-week training programme, which wrapped up at the start of November, saw 35 port managers receive certificates acknowledging their successful completion of a leadership training initiative aimed to empower managers and emerging leaders with essential skills.