Benguela Current Convention

Established in 2007, the Benguela Current Commission has a mandate from Angola, Namibia and South Africa to promote the integrated management, sustainable development and protection of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME). The BCLME spans some 30 degrees of latitude, extending from Angola’s Cabinda Provide in the north, to just east of Port Elizabeth in South Africa. It is one of the richest marine ecosystems on earth and supports an abundance of life. The Benguela Current Commission provides a vehicle for the three SADC countries to introduce an ecosystem approach to the management of the BCLME. The Commission is focused on the management of shared fish stocks, the assessment and monitoring of the physical environment, the establishment of an ecosystem information system, and the cooperative management of biodiversity and ecosystem health. The activities of the Benguela Current Commission are supported by the governments of Angola, Namibia and South Africa; the Global Environment Facility; and the United Nations Development Programme. The government of Norway provides generous funding for the BCC Science Programme and Iceland is supporting a comprehensive Training and Capacity Building initiative.