Transparency

Senegal fishers lodge a complaint against energy companies for failing to exercise due diligence in their GTA project

Senegal fishers lodge a complaint against energy companies for failing to exercise due diligence in their GTA project

A Senegalese civil society organisation, member of the OECD Watch network, supported fishers from Saint Louis in placing a complaint to the UK and US OECD National Contact Points against the multinational enterprises British Petroleum and Kosmos Energy.

African and European stakeholders call for the development of a regulatory framework for sustainable fisheries joint ventures

African and European stakeholders call for the development of a regulatory framework for sustainable fisheries joint ventures

The EU Long-Distance Advisory Council and CFFA co-hosted a seminar end of May in Berlin with key African fisheries stakeholders to discuss issues related to EU fishing companies with investments and operations in Africa.

Liberian artisanal fishers oppose further unravelling of their fishing zone to let trawlers in

Liberian artisanal fishers oppose further unravelling of their fishing zone to let trawlers in

In April 2024, the Liberian National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) invited several fisheries stakeholders to validate a draft fisheries management plan for a multi-species deep-water shrimp fishery, which are very vulnerable and already over-exploited. LAFA deplores the absence of an appropriate stakeholder engagement during the development of the plan.

Publication of the list of vessels authorised to fish in Senegal: "The fight for transparency in fisheries is only beginning"

Publication of the list of vessels authorised to fish in Senegal: "The fight for transparency in fisheries is only beginning"

In an effort to promote transparency and fight overfishing, the new Minister of Fisheries, Dr Fatou Diouf, has announced the publication of a list of the vessels authorised to fish in Senegal. The African Confederation of Artisanal Fishing Organisations (CAOPA) comments on this.

Senegalese civil society outlines the challenges of the new president's programme for small-scale fisheries

Senegalese civil society outlines the challenges of the new president's programme for small-scale fisheries

In a position paper, APRAPAM questions the government's proposal to support the production of fish feed and insists instead on the importance of a management plan for small pelagics and the prioritisation of human consumption.

UNOC 2025: Fishers’ Call to Action raises global attention

UNOC 2025: Fishers’ Call to Action raises global attention

The outcomes from the Civil Society Consultation in preparation of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference recommend more attention to small-scale fisheries (SSF), with an “Ocean Action Panel building on the Call to Action” which was released at UNOC 2 in Lisbon (2022).

African countries to develop guidelines for the negotiation of fair and transparent fisheries agreements

African countries to develop guidelines for the negotiation of fair and transparent fisheries agreements

At a COMHAFAT workshop held in Abidjan end of October, several regional and pan-African institutions and stakeholders discussed issues of transparency and economic spin-offs of current agreements.

Lövin: "In the CFP there are provisions for prioritizing giving fishing access to those that fish in the most responsible way"

Lövin: "In the CFP there are provisions for prioritizing giving fishing access to those that fish in the most responsible way"

In this Op-Ed, published first on EUobserver, former PECH MEP Isabella Lövin argues that the Common Fisheries Policy has all the provisions needed for Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements to successfully work as a “race to the top” rather than to the bottom.

CFFA commits to fishers rules of conduct and encourages others to follow suite

CFFA commits to fishers rules of conduct and encourages others to follow suite

The Coalition marks its support to the document by a letter to CFFA’s main partner, CAOPA, and pledges to abide by it in its work with artisanal fisheries organisations. By this action, the network wishes to lead by example so that other partners wishing to support small-scale fishing apply these standards too.

Senegalese small-scale fishers denounce the granting of new fishing licences

Senegalese small-scale fishers denounce the granting of new fishing licences

Despite the West African country’s commitments, transparency is still a long way off. The advisory committee for the allocation of fishing licences (CCALP) should be more than consultative, and should be able to decide who is authorised to fish Senegal's blue gold.

"The European Union must be credible and demonstrate that EU taxpayer’s money is well spent in support of sustainable fishing”

"The European Union must be credible and demonstrate that EU taxpayer’s money is well spent in support of sustainable fishing”

From 8 different African countries, representatives of coastal fishing communities participated to a seminar on the external dimension of the CFP hosted by the EU Long Distance Fisheries Advisory Council (LDAC) in Sweden and then travelled to Brussels where they exchanged with decision-makers from the Commission and the European Parliament.

Indian Ocean fishers and civil society call for more transparency and diligence in the management of tuna stocks

Indian Ocean fishers and civil society call for more transparency and diligence in the management of tuna stocks

SWIOTUNA and FPAOI organised a parallel event to the 27th session of the IOTC which was held in Mauritius early May. They shed light on the challenges small-scale tuna fishers face in the region and issued a joint statement.

“Nothing about us without us”: fishers draft rules of conduct for how to work with them to save the oceans

“Nothing about us without us”: fishers draft rules of conduct for how to work with them to save the oceans

To mark the end of the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022), small-scale fisheries organisations from 5 continents followed up on their Call to Action (June 2022) and presented these guidelines to their partners and supporters.

China's capture of Ghana's fishing industry is threatening food security

China's capture of Ghana's fishing industry is threatening food security

Even though it is illegal for foreign vessels to fish in Ghana, over the last decade Chinese-owned vessels have proliferated. Journalist Kwabena Adu Koranteng investigates how business people well connected with power act as fronts for Chinese fishing industry. Ghana loses 50M€/year but more concerning is the fact that severe overfishing is impacting food security and nutrition in the country.

Small-scale fishers' "little babel" speaks with one voice at UN oceans conference

Small-scale fishers' "little babel" speaks with one voice at UN oceans conference

Around 20 small-scale fishers, men and women,from 6 continents gathered in Lisbon and jointly called to action” their governments to urgently implement 5 priority actions by 2030.

MEPs call on the Commission to use fisheries partnership agreements as a lever for regional management in West Africa

MEPs call on the Commission to use fisheries partnership agreements as a lever for regional management in West Africa

The European Parliament's Fisheries Committee has highlighted the impact of the fishmeal industry in Mauritania on the food security of West African populations and called on Mauritania, the EU and neighbouring countries to support and "initiate an international dialogue" for the creation of an RFMO for shared stocks.

FPAOI calls on countries and actors in the region to engage in the FiTI

FPAOI calls on countries and actors in the region to engage in the FiTI

The Federation of Artisanal Fishers of the Indian Ocean, which includes 36 artisanal fisheries organisations from the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Reunion, highlighted the importance of transparency for the sustainable management of fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean region.

AU-EU Summit: High-level commitments, but artisanal fishing communities want concrete action

AU-EU Summit: High-level commitments, but artisanal fishing communities want concrete action

Nearly a hundred representatives of artisanal fisheries, CSOs and African and European institutions participated in the CAOPA webinar "How the EU-AU partnership can support sustainable artisanal fisheries? The perspective of civil society organisations".