Marine artisanal fisheries plays an important role in the socio-economic life of many countries along the West African coast, from Mauritania to Angola. The Programme for Integrated Development of Artisanal Fisheries in West Africa (IDAF) was initiated in 1983 to help some 20 coastal states from Mauritania to Angola which wished to develop and manage their artisanal fisheries through participatory and integrated approaches as defined in the strategy adopted in 1994 at the World Fisheries Conference. The targeted direct beneficiaries are the staff of the department of Fisheries in the 20 countires, and associated projects and research institutions; while the ultimate beneficiaries are all persons involved in the artisanal fisheries subsector in the region. Phase III of the programme laid emphasis on identifying and disseminating elements and mechanisms that favour the sustainability of initiative sin fishing communities, the improvement of the competence of national fisheries development staff in development and management planning of artisanal fisheries, the promotion of responsible fishing; the devolution of major resource management and development decisions to the local community and the identification, development and implementation of strategies related to information and experience exchange in artisanal fisheries within the region.