Activities

ATLAFCO Launches the Sustainable Modernization of African Fishing Ports

Under the Guinean presidency, the Ministerial Conference on Fisheries Cooperation among African States bordering the Atlantic Ocean (ATLAFCO) organized a regional workshop in Tangier from March 4 to 6, 2026, dedicated to the FAO’s “Blue Ports” concept for senior officials responsible for fisheries governance within its member states.

This activity, which forms part of the implementation of the 2025–2027 Strategic Action Plan, aims to modernize fisheries port infrastructures and strengthen their contribution to the sustainable development of the fisheries system across the African Atlantic region.

Over the course of three days, representatives of member states and experts reviewed the port infrastructures dedicated to the fisheries sector in each member country, examined national port strategies in the short and medium term, and shared their respective experiences regarding the role played by African ports in maritime and environmental governance.

The expected outcomes include, among others: modernizing port facilities dedicated to fisheries and aquaculture; digitizing operations throughout the value chain; improving the traceability of fisheries products; supporting the energy transition toward a regional “Blue Port” model; and contributing to the sustainability of the Ocean.

The workshop also addressed the financing mechanisms required to support these transformations toward an adapted “Blue Port” model, particularly for both artisanal and industrial fisheries.

In addition, an update on international legal instruments was presented to participants in order to address this crucial aspect of regulatory frameworks.

Representatives from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the African Union’s Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), the Media Observatory for Sustainable Fisheries in Africa (MOSFA), the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), the INFOPECHE Center, and the FAO actively contributed to the success of the workshop, confirming the importance of such initiatives led by ATLAFCO.

The workshop concluded with a visit to the port and the new fish market in the city of Tangier (a new-generation facility featuring a digital auction system), as well as the artisanal fisheries landing site known as “Dalia.” This visit allowed participants to observe concrete progress in the modern management of flows, the digitalization of fish marketing, and product traceability—offering adaptable solutions for different national contexts in line with the principle of the sustainable use of living marine resources within the ATLAFCO region.