The importance of the coastal ocean (including lagoons, estuaries, bays, creeks, etc) to the socio-economic development of the countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea is largely recognised on account of its vast potential resources. It is thus critical to maintain this environment in a state capaable of supporting its enormous productivity. However, it is known that the health of the coastal ocean in this region is increasingly in jeopardy due to a rapid intensification of human activities on or near the coast.

The long term objective of the project is to restore and sustain the health of the Gulf of Guinea Large Marine Ecosystem and its natural resources particularly as it concerns its biological diversity.

Strengthen regional institutional capacities to prevent and remedy pollution of the Gulf of Guinea LME and associated degradation of critical habitats

Develop an integrated information management and decision making system for ecosystem management

Establish a comprehensive programme for monitoring and assessment of the living marine resources, the health, and productivity of the Gulf of Guinea LME

Prevent and control land-based sources of industrial and urban pollution

Develop national and regional strategies and policies including forging regional Conventions and Protocols for the long-term management and protection of the Gulf of Guinea. Participating Countries: Cote d�Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Cameroon Executing Agency: United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Cooperating Agencies: United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US-NOAA) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Implementing Agency: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Funding Agency: Global Environment Facility (GEF) Administrative Structure: The Regional Coordination Centre (RCC) located at the Centre de Recherches Oceanographiques (CRO), Abidjan Cote d�Ivoire serves to enhance regional cooperation and coordination as the underlying philosophy of the project as well as achieve cohesion between the various inputs, including training of personnel, envisaged in the project document. At the national level, a Project Office has been established in each country under a government nominated Project Director who is assisted by a Programme Assistant, to ensure delivery of inputs from country level activities. Guidance in project implementation the countries is provided by a Multisectoral National Steering Committee.

1. Fisheries Resources Loss

2. Habitat destruction (loss of Mangroves)

3. Marine Pollution from Land Based Sources

4. Eutrophication

5. Pollution from Oil Spills and Marine Debris

6. Poor Data Management and Communication

7. Lack of adequate Institutional Capacity

8. Coastal Erosion Root Causes:

1. Overfishing by Industrial and Artisanal Fishermen coupled with degradation of critical breeding and nursery habitats.

2. Overcutting of Mangroves by Communities for cooking, building and salt drying as a result of poverty and lack of alternatives

3. Poor Regulation and Enforcement of waste discharges from industrial and urban sources

4. Excessive Nutrient Loading from agricultural runoff and sewage

5. Spills from Oil tankers and loading terminals and discharges from ships

6. Sectorized data and poor Information Technology Tools

7. Loss of Skilled Manpower to other sectors and lack of research facilities

8. Hapharzard Port and Harbour Development, Sand Mining and deforestation Project Strategies for Rectifying

1. Fisheries Resources Stock Assessment, Rehabilitation of critical nursery grounds and Introduction of Closed and Open Fishing Seasons.

2. Large Scale Community based Mangrove Restoration/Reaforestation and Community Environmental Education through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PAR) and Participatory Rural Learning and Action (PLA) using NGOs and CBOs.

3. Setting of Regional Effluent Regulations and Standards and Monitoring and Enforcement of Compliance through various National Environmental Protection Agencies.

4. Promulgation of Integrated Coastal Areas Management Plans in all Countries and Environmental Impact Assessment Laws for all developmental activities.

5. Regional and National Multisectoral Data Management using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Activation of Regional Internet Network and Inter-connection of Participating National Institutions.

6. Building Institutional Capacities through trainings, workshops, symposia, conferences and provision of necessary research facilities and greater National Government funding.

7. Preliminary Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis Document (TBDA).

8. Adoption of the Accra Declaration for Sustainable Marine Environmental and Resource Management.

9. Innovative Waste Stock Exchange Management System (WSEMS) Areas of Comparative Advantage:

1. Large Scale Community Based Mangrove Restoration. The Project is mostly interested in restoring degraded wetland ecosystem (mangroves) for the conservation of the rich biological diversity of the region. This was conducted in three phases: (a) Preliminary Project Workshop and Training to harmonise and standardise methodologies for mangrove surveys and restoration involving the various Government National Research Institutions and Environmental NGOs. (b) Aerial Satelitte Imageries of the Gulf of Guinea LME to determine the status of the mangrove ecosystem. The output was a mangrove map of the region. (c) Groundtruthing by the Research Institutes and NGOs using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to accurately position the mangrove sites. (d) Large Scale Mangrove Planting/restoration using seedlings grown on Nurseries and involving Communities Based Organisations.

2. Innovative Waste Stock Exchange Management Systems (WSEMS) Multisectoral and Integrated . The Project also conduct a waste stock exchange as an urban/industrial pollution reduction technique. The approach involves: (a). Carrying out a feasibility study, by an appointed Private Organisations or NGOs, to determine the wastes produced by industries and the raw material needs of other industries. (b). Conducting waste stock exchange and setting up demonstration projects for conversion of wastes to other sources such as energy. Example include the conversion of saw dust and wood shavings to energy using briquetting technique.

3. Approach to Marine Environmental and Resource Management through use of National Steering Committees in Project Management. Guidance in project implementation in the participating countries is provided by a multisectoral Steering Committee. Membership is drawn from Government Ministries/Agencies, Universities, Research Institutes, NGOs, Private Sector.

4. Strong Political Support for Integrated Coastal Areas Management Plans. The Participating Governments have adopted ICAM Plans for their countries. The Processes that culminated in these include: (a). Complilation of preliminary Coastal profile of all countries by the National Experts. (b). National ICAM Workshops to discuss the coastal profiles and adopt National Stategies. (c). Formation of a National ICAM Committee in project countries. (d). Finalisation and publication National Coastal Profiles (e). Drafting of preliminary ICAM Plans by the National ICAM Committees. (f). Adoption of the ICAM Plans by the various Governments. (g). Signing and adoption of a Declaration for the sustainable management of the Gulf of Guinea LME by the Ministers of Environment of the six countries in July 1998.

5. Quarterly Marine Resources (Plankton) Surveys through use of Continous Plankton Recorders attached to Ships of Opportunity (SOOP).

1. Finalisation of a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TBDA)Formulation of a Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for the Region.

2. Effective Coastal Erosion Control measures.

3. Regular Regional Fish Resources Trawl Surveys

4. Inclusion of all the Countries within the Geographical limit of the Guinea Current LME (Proposed in second phase to include countries from Guinea Bissau to Angola)