Will Africa find solutions to its fishery problems before 2030?

Francis Kokutse, in Accra, Ghana 

Francis Kokutse is a journalist based in Accra and writes for Associated Press (AP), University World News, as well as Science and Development.Net. He was a Staff Writer of African Concord and Africa Economic Digest in London, UK. 

Against the backdrop of multiple  issues that have affected the fishery sector in Africa,   the Malabo Montpelier Panel of agrifood experts, have  come out with  policies urgently needed to realise the potential of Africa’s fisheries and aquaculture sector to avoid shortages by 2030.

The Malabo Montpellier Panel convenes 17 leading experts in agriculture, engineering, ecology, nutrition, and food security, and aims at facilitating policy choices by African governments to accelerate progress toward food security and improved nutrition. The Panel identifies areas of progress and positive change across the continent and assesses what successful African countries have done differently. It identifies the institutional and policy innovations and programme interventions that other countries can best replicate and scale.

As we  await whether or not, governments across the continent will implement the policies that have been identified, it is also important to note that the continent has for a long time been faced with Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing (IUU). Almost a year ago, The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) held a meeting of senior officials and technical experts from 28 countries and  three  regional fishery bodies in Africa and the Middle East, representing intergovernmental organisations,  last year, to deliberate on the FAO’s  Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA), intended to prevent, deter, and eliminate IUU fishing.

The FAO says IUU  is a broad term that captures a wide variety of fishing activity and is  found in all types and dimensions of fisheries; it occurs both on the high seas and in areas within national jurisdiction. It concerns all aspects and stages of the capture and utilisation of fish, and it may sometimes be associated with organised crime

It said, Illegal fishing is conducted by national or foreign vessels in waters under the jurisdiction of a state, without their  permission, or in contravention of its laws and regulations. It is also conducted by vessels flying the flag of states that are parties to a relevant regional fisheries management organisation but operate in contravention of the conservation and management measures adopted by that organisation and by which the states are bound. 

Unreported fishing, on the other hand, is fishing that have not been reported, or have been misreported, to the relevant national authority, in contravention of national laws and regulations; or are undertaken in the area of competence of a relevant regional fisheries management organisation which have not been reported or have been misreported, in contravention of the reporting procedures of that organisation.

The FAO says unregulated  fishing   exists  in the area of application of a relevant regional fisheries management organization that are conducted by vessels without nationality, or by those flying the flag of a state not party to that organization, or by a fishing entity, in a manner that is not consistent with or contravenes the conservation and management measures of that organization.

With all this problem of IUU, African countries are struggling to put in place measures to improve the fishery sector. In its report, “FISH-FRIENDLY: Policy Innovations for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa”,  the Malabo Montpelier Panel argued that, while Africa’s fisheries and aquaculture hold immense potential, unlocking this requires comprehensive policy reforms, technological advancements, and sustainable resource management, in order to avoid a projected 11 million metric tonnes (MT) shortage in fish and fish products within five years.

Some countries have started implementing policies that would help sort their fisheries problems. In Malawi, the Aquaculture Value Chain Project (AVCP) established the Aquaculture Business School, providing training in organisational, processing, and technical skills to 4,500 small-scale producers and 144 fish farmer groups nationwide. Similarly, the Inclusive Business and Entrepreneurial Models (IBEMs) for small-scale fish farmers project provided innovative training on aquaculture practices, business management, finance, and entrepreneurship to 1,046 farmers, 60 percent of whom were women. The project set up local entrepreneurs, with a focus on seed/fingerling production and fish feed.

In Morocco, there is the existence of a Halieutis Strategy, a comprehensive fisheries and aquaculture plan launched in 2009, and this has positioned the country as a top fish exporter to the European Union (EU). The Small-Scale Fisheries Project constructed and equipped landing sites and port facilities and was involved in the establishment of three marine protected areas, each extending over 40 km of coastline.

It established five wholesale fish markets, provided certificate training, and equipped nearly 1,000 mobile fish vendors and 20,000 artisan fishers. These efforts, along with promoting research, improving fish management plans, and fighting IUU fishing, have contributed to annual per capita consumption of fish and fishery products by more than 10 percent.

Away from Morocco, the Panel said Mozambique’s MaisPeixe Sustentável (More Sustainable Fish) programme provides matching grants to artisanal fishers and small enterprises to improve their fishing techniques, reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, and boost food security. 

They said the  programme has significantly impacted livelihoods in seven provinces by providing financing to over 1,000 artisanal fishing households. These matching grants have supported sustainable practices, such as using better fishing gear and improved postharvest techniques, directly contributing to better economic opportunities for marginalised coastal communities. In addition, the Small-Scale Aquaculture Development and the Artisanal Fisheries and Climate Change projects are highlighted as prime examples of how prioritising grassroots participation can drive sustainable and successful fisheries models.

The latest publication by the Panel has highlighted the rapid growth of the continent’s fisheries and aquaculture sector, which, since 2022, has experienced the highest aquaculture growth rate of all regions of the world, increasing by more than five-fold to reach 2.5 million metric tonnes (MT) in 2022.

The sector provides almost 20 percent of Africa’s animal protein. To counter a projected deficit of 11 million MT annually by 2030, policies and investments are needed to meet future demand and avoid potential shortages, the authors argue. Africa’s supplies of aquatic foods would need to increase by 74 percent by 2050 to maintain current per capita fish consumption levels.

“Fish and other aquatic foods play an increasingly important role in African diets and economic development. To benefit more from this growing sector, governments and the private sector need to facilitate innovation and address limiting factors like feed supplies in aquaculture and illegal coastal fishing,” said Joachim von Braun, a professor at Centre for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, and co-chair of the Malabo Montpellier Panel. 

“This report illustrates how forward-thinking policies can foster the innovations needed to transform the continent’s fisheries and aquaculture sector into a powerful engine for economic growth, jobs, and food security, while protecting the related ecologies.” Braun added.

With approximately 6.1 million Africans employed in the sector, the importance of ensuring long-term sustainability has never been more evident. Dr. Ousmane Badiane, executive chairperson, AKADEMIYA2063 and co-chair of the Malabo Montpellier Panel, said  “the recently adopted African Union’s Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan (2026-2035), and the Africa Blue Economy Strategy underscore the vital role of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in transforming Africa’s agrifood systems, ensuring food security and improved nutrition. 

“The timing of this report is particularly opportune as Africa aligns its ambitions with these frameworks to redefine its role in global aquatic food systems. The successful interventions highlighted in this report provide workable avenues to accelerate progress toward a productive and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture sector in Africa.”  

What can move Africa forward from the point of view of the panel is investing in infrastructure, technology, and regulations: Investment in hatcheries, preservation, and processing facilities utilising renewable energy, alongside innovative technologies that support nutritional, economic, and environmental goals – such as integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (e.g., rice-fish farming) should be prioritised. Robust monitoring and enforcement frameworks are needed to tackle IUU fishing.

This must be backed by strengthening support for smallholder aquaculture, cultivation of market-wide resilience, development of financial products and mobile apps that cater for smallholder needs, provision of  technical training and skills development programmes, as well as  facilitating  equal market access.

Hopefully, the work of the Panel will not become another of those reports that only remain on files. If the continent must move forward, implementation must start immediately.

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