The governance of the fisheries sector in the region is ineffective and lacks transparency and accountability. A system is needed to strengthen the governance and management of the countries’ fisheries. The objetive of WARFP is to build the capacity of the Government and stakeholders to implement a shared approach that would ensure that the marine fish resources are used in a manner that is environmentally sustainable, socially fair and economically profitable.

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Illegal fishing in West Africa by foreign unauthorized vessels displaying fake country flags and fraudulent fishing licenses costs the region $2.4 billion a year, not including destruction to the region's ecosystems and biodiversity. A significant number of the illegal vessels originate from Asia. The objective of WARFP is to reduce the illegal fishing activities threatening the sustainable management of the marine fish resources and the wealth they can generate for the region.

The catch generated from West African waters has a wholesale value of $2.5 billion a year and could potentially generate an additional $3.3 billion if countries in the region had the capacity to process and add value to their catch. The objective of WARFP is to increase the benefits to West Africa from the marine fish resources, by increasing the share of the value-added captured in the region.

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