The Canary Current LME project (CCLME)

1. The Canary Current LME project (CCLME) • Implementation of the full phase started 1 April 2010 • FAO and UNEP act as GEF agencies • GEF funding • 7 participating countries in West Africa • RCU in Dakar, Senegal The CCLME Project objective (2010-2015): To enable the countries of the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem to address priority transboundary concerns on declining fisheries, associated biodiversity and water quality through governance reforms, investments and management programs

2. Some of the expected project outcomes are: • Multi-country agreement on priority transboundary issues and on governance reforms and investments to address these; • A sustainable legal/institutional framework for the CCLME; • Strong stakeholders’ involvement in transboundary water body priority setting and strategic planning; • Improved knowledge and capacity to address concerns on marine living resources and biodiversity, habitat and water quality’; • Demonstrated management actions and related costs/benefits valuations

3. key project results Process • Two national representatives for CCLME in each country; • Multi-sectoral national inter-ministry committees are in the process; • Strong relations with a range of different partners; • Six multidisciplinary technical working groups have been established by the project. In addition, two existing FAO/CECAF working groups on the assessment of pelagic and demersal resources. • website (www.canarycurrent.org) in line with IW:LEARN requirements, CCLME newsletter and folders. • The development of TDA was initiated in May 2011 with the a TDA training and the first meeting of the TDA Working Group (16--20 May 2011). In addition, a Climate Change Working Group established to strengthen the consideration to climate change-related issues in the CCLME TDA, (11 to 13 May 2011).

4. key project results Stress reduction • A strategy has been defined together with UNEP, Abidjan Convention Secretariat, IUCN and Wetlands International - Afrique to assist countries’ ratification and implementation of the existing West African charter for the sustainable management of mangroves and for its inclusion in the Abidjan Convention. CCLME activities will be implemented in collaboration with Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Conakry and Guinea Bissau. • The CCLME project is also cooperating with the Abidjan Convention to promote the adoption and rapid implementation of its Regional Contingency Plan (oil spill) among all CCLME countries. • Work plans agreed and demonstration projects initiated on the transboundary management of shared small pelagic stocks, and of small migratory species important for coastal artisanal fisheries.

5. key project results environment status • Valuable data regarding the current state of the CCLME has been produced through the organization of a number of surveys with the R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen in collaboration with the EAF-Nansen : • Ecosystem survey off Cape Verde islands from 8 to 20 June 2011 • Survey to assess the coastal pelagic stocks of the CCLME region from 22 June to 7 July 2011. • Ecosystem survey from Guinea to Morocco 8 may to 22 July 2012. • The data collected will be used to guide the development of management plans and as a baseline. • An Ecosystem Survey Planning and Analysis Working Group has been established to plan and coordinate the surveys in the region involving (the Institute of Marine Research of Norway, the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, Atlantniro of Russia). Various capacity building activities linked to the conducting of surveys have been undertaken.

6. Major challenges and constraints threatening successful delivery • The project has inherent technical and logistical complexities due to many technical topics, the large geographical area and the number of countries involved which are at different level of development. • The project will be jointly implemented by FAO and UNEP who will together assure overall integrity of the project Project conditions subject to uncertainty include the following: • Political stability of the CCLME countries; • Adoption of scientists’ recommendations by management entities; • Political commitment to regional cooperative action; • Synergy and co-financing commitments are honored; • Countries are willing to share data as necessary (e.g. on fish stocks); • Continued engagement of stakeholders in the process; • Willing participation of the private sector in project activities; • Available national expertise to implement the demonstration projects

7. Priority capacity-building needs • Continue support on-the-job training in technical areas and the participation of key persons and institutions to national and regional workshops to enhance personnel and institutional capacity in support to sustainable fishery management • Ecosystem modeling and analysis • Stocks assessment course • Acoustic training • governance • Methodologies for socio-economic impact assessment of LME programme • Estimation of productivity indicators for LMEs

8. Needs for collaboration • Training • Climate change • Development TDA/SAP • Data analysis by participation in our working group (socioeconomic and governance)