The Port Autonome de Cotonou and MAEP Unite to Modernize Benin’s Fishing Sector
On Friday, November 22, 2024, the Port Autonome de Cotonou (PAC), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fishing (MAEP), officially handed over fiberglass canoes to fishing associations.
This donation, part of a long-term vision and sustainability approach, emphasizes PAC’s special attention to fishermen’s working conditions, environmental challenges, and marine resource preservation.
According to Bart Van EENOO, PAC’s Managing Director, this donation is part of a series of actions planned for fishing sector modernization. He states: “The purchase of these fiberglass canoes aims to study their utility for the fishing community, with the eventual goal of manufacturing them within the planned new fishing port.”
Agriculture, Livestock, and Fishing Minister, Mr. Gaston C. DOSSOUHOUI, welcomed the donation and urged fishermen to maintain discipline and organization, saying “I ask you to provide us with technical monitoring elements to assess what amenities should be added to existing ones for sustainable fishing.” Like the PAC Director, the minister emphasized the government’s commitment to support the relocation and modernization of the fishing port, including establishing a fiberglass canoe production unit with support from manufacturer CFAO Afrique.
The fishing associations – the National Union of Marine Fishermen and Associates of Benin and the Federation of Marine Fishermen and Associates – acknowledged these challenges, thanked the donors, and committed to ensuring the project’s success.
These canoes, designed to be secure, stable, and unsinkable, use less fuel and enable better quality fish harvests with their 450-liter and 1,000-liter coolers, installed in the 8.5m and 10m canoes respectively.
Management mechanisms will be established between associations to facilitate fiberglass canoe use. Dedicated teams will maintain the vessels, and regular reports will evaluate the project’s impact.
The handover of these fiberglass canoes marks a major advance in modernizing Benin’s fishing sector. It reflects PAC’s commitment to actively contribute to the sector’s sustainable development while improving coastal communities’ living conditions. Through this gesture, PAC also encourages fishing stakeholders to move toward a more responsible and environmentally respectful model.
