A capacity building workshop aimed at equipping journalists, civil society organisations and community actors on monitoring and reporting the activities of distant water fishing vessels was held at Hotel du lac in Cotonou, Benin on May 23rd 2023.
The one-day training, organized as part a project deliverable of the #DWFV project, which is been implemented in Benin by EcoBenin , brought together 30 participants including 12 journalists, 12 CSO representatives and 6 community actors. During the workshop, participants were taken through sessions on Benin’s national fisheries policies, the impact of overfishing on livelihoods and food security, as well as the destabilising effects of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The training sought to enhance transparency and accountability of fishing activities by building the capacity of key stakeholders to effectively monitor and report on issues surrounding distant water fleets operating in Benin’s waters. Participants engaged in robust discussions and came away with a better understanding of their role in advocating for sustainable fisheries practices. The organisers deemed the workshop a success, believing the equipped journalists and CSOs can now better hold policymakers to account on fishing governance issues.