Enhancing Data Quality and Assessments for Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) Working Groups - GCP/RAF/517/EC

Abstract

The role of the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) is to promote the sustainable use of the living marine resources within its area of competence, through the appropriate management and development of fisheries and fishing operations. The CECAF Working Groups faced various challenges, including the quality of information and data available for applying the standard assessment models, as well as the human and financial capacity to conduct the analyses. The capacity for stock assessment in the region was generally weak, and there was a need to strengthen members’ capacity in this area, including the ability to critically review the quality of the underlying data, but also to provide a better scientific understanding to support the advice process. Against this background, the overall objective of this European Union-funded project was to strengthen the capacity of CECAF Working Group member countries to provide data, conduct assessment analyses, and provide management advice to the CECAF’s Scientific Sub-Committee.