The cooperative of women in the fisheries sector meets in Locodjro for a Q&A on the issues of the EU tuna fleet bycatch and a review of the progress made in the context of the EU-Côte d’Ivoire Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement
Since 2011, women fish processors and fishmongers in Ivory Coast have tirelessly been denouncing their supply challenges due to scarcity of raw material and their dependence on corrupt middlemen to access what is commonly known as “faux thon”. Faux thon is the damaged or undersized tuna and by-catch which is not used by the canneries. It is landed in Abidjan by the tuna boat’s crew who sell it without control to local intermediaries, who then sell it to women.
For International Women’s Day, the union of cooperatives of women fish processors and fishmongers invited local authorities and partners for a session to review the progress made in improving access to faux thon. Photos (all): Courtesy of Andréa Durighello/GIZ.
Women are present at all stages of the fish value chain, but they are particularly important in the activities of processing the fish, either drying, salting or smoking, and in the marketing of the processed products. This way they contribute to two key areas of Ivorian society: by ensuring the education of their children, to the stability of their families and by providing quality fish products in the market, they are essential to food security of the population in the region, fish being the primary source of protein in many areas of West Africa.
In the past, 60% of their supply came from artisanal fishing and 40% from imports from Senegal and Mauritania. Both have been in decline for several years, mostly due to overexploitation. During the low season, from November to July, they have no fish available to process and have to turn to “faux thon” for raw material.
USCOFEP-CI women sensitized consummers on the different species of the area, on “faux thon” and the EU-Côte d’Ivoire protocol and presented 12 traditional dishes (banner photo) to show how important fish is for Ivorian diet.
After much awareness, work and determination by these Ivorian women in fisheries, the current protocol of the EU-Côte d’Ivoire Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) encourages EU shipowners to sell a certain quantity of directly to Ivorian women, and the SFPA sectoral support comprises a fund to assist them for the purchase of the fish.
In this regard, on Saturday 7 March, in the context of the celebration of International Women’s Day, the Union des Sociétés Coopératives des Mareyeuses et Transformatrices des Produits de la Pêches (USCOFEP-CI) held a meeting to take stock of the progress made and to draft recommendations on how to improve the process. Representatives from all the cooperatives of women fishmongers and fish processors, including from inland, attended the conference, as well as long date partners such as GIZ, FES and FAO, and the (national) director of fisheries and the mayor of Locodjro. USCOFEP-CI members also held a Q&A session to sensitize on the EU-Ivory Coast protocol and faux thon. Women concurrently did a public awareness session for consumers and presented 12 traditional fish dishes, of which 4 contain tuna, to show how important this fish is in Cote d’Ivoire populations diet.
Women's day was also celebrated by other women in fisheries organisations elsewhere in West Africa, such as in Togo, where the association “Happy Your Self” from the fishing port of Lomé celebrated the second edition of the International Women's Day March 8 today. After a mass of thanksgiving, they offered refreshment at the beach of Kodjoviakopé.
More information
CFFA’s policy briefing women’s role in fisheries and how to promote their livelihoods
A two-pager on the story of fake tuna and women in Ivory Coast (only in French - click here for an English translation)
On the activities of USCOFEP-CI
Report and recommendations from the USCOFEP-CI meeting (in French only)