Project coordinator - Minimizing bycatch of marine turtles and seabirds in West African industrial fisheries

Project properly managed, including delivery of technical and financial reports.

Remote

The contract will be for the duration of 6 months, starting on 01 January 2022 and ending on 30 June 2022 and will be subject to extension by 4 months until 31 October 2022.

The CMS Secretariat is seeking an experienced consultant to support the Aquatic Species Team with the coordination and implementation of specific components of the 2nd phase of the multi partner project: "Minimizing bycatch of seabirds and sea turtles in West African industrial fisheries".

The project, which is being implemented by a partnership of international and national governmental and non-governmental organizations, aims to establish a successful framework for reducing the bycatch of seabirds and sea turtles in West African fisheries. The project started in 2018 and is now in its second phase, which is currently being completed. The consultancy is required for the project coordination during the period 1 January 2022 – 30 June 2022, subject to extension by 4 months until 31 October 2022.

The project builds on five strategies. CMS will lead on Strategy 3: Advocacy for legislation and mitigation measures. Strategy 3 links closely with the observer programme to initiate and assess practical and affordable bycatch mitigation approaches, following recommendations in the Bycatch Mitigation Roadmap. At the same time, advances will be made to support and advise West African governments to integrate bycatch mitigation measures into their fisheries management plans and legislation. This will be achieved through guidelines, observer trainings, and consultations with governments in the region.

The consultant will be responsible for the following duties:

1. Coordinate the overall implementation of the CMS component of the project "Minimising bycatch of seabirds and sea turtles in West African industrial fisheries”;
2. Undertake regular mission trips to Dakar, Senegal, where the overall coordination of the project is based. Additional travel will be expected to the other six project partner countries in West Africa (Cabo Verde, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, Sierra Leona, the Gambia) to meet and engage with West African Governments, as well as to meetings, workshops and events in other locations as required and as decided in cooperation with the project coordination team at BirdLife International;
3. Identify key countries, research institutes, and fleets where mitigation measures will be trialed, and support fundraising for their implementation;
4. Review data quality provided by observers, prepare questionnaires and presentations on key issues for improving data collection;
5. Provide information to update the BirdLife website on bycatch and bycatch mitigation measures;
6. Review fisheries management plans and provide recommendations on options to strengthen those with view to minimizing bycatch;
7. Develop policy briefs on the status of seabirds and sea turtles in the region with recommendations for management actions;
8. Develop guidelines on reducing seabird and sea turtle bycatch;
9. Coordinate the development of a Seabird Atlas;
10. Provide support to project partners in evaluating the implementation of bycatch mitigation measures as required;
11. Liaise with national governments to promote bycatch mitigation measures and provide support and information about bycatch to governments;
12. Provide updates to project partners on decisions taken at ICCAT, and other regional/international fora through policy briefs;
13. Draft a final report at the end of the project with progress towards updating legislations across the seven countries.

The consultant will implement her/his tasks under the day-to-day supervision of the Associate Programme Management Officer and the overall supervision of the Head of the Aquatic Species Team at the CMS Secretariat, who will also be in charge of the evaluation of outputs of the contractor.

Academic Qualifications: Post graduate degree in international law, environmental sciences, or fisheries management.
Experience: A minimum of five years of working experience at the international level, including comprehensive experience with fisheries management and/or bycatch mitigation, ideally in West African fisheries on a national and regional level, national and regional fisheries and species conservation legislation, frameworks and policies.
Language: Fluency in written and spoken English and French is required.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.