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.
An episode of ARTE's investigative magazine Sources, entitled “Salmon: a story of smoke and mirrors,” traces the journey of fishmeal and fish oil produced in Mauritania coming to Europe.
Industrial fishing operations in Cameroon’s waters are dominated by trawlers of foreign origin in joint ventures with local entrepreneurs where 83% of these vessels have been found to be connected to entities in China. These trawlers are allowed to exploit fish stocks beyond 3 nautical miles of the coastline, including the highly prized shrimps.
Driven by a local NGO, which is committed to community development as well as turtle protection, Côte d'Ivoire's first marine protected area (MPA) is an example of how conservation can be achieved while respecting the rights and access of artisanal fishing communities to their traditional fishing grounds.
This article by Andréa Durighello analyses, through the example of the Ivory Coast, the value of women's cooperatives and associations in African artisanal fisheries: in the professionalisation of the trade, in strengthening capacities, in representing women in professional organisations and, above all, in responding unitedly to the hazards of life.
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.
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.
The Grand Béréby Marine Protected Area will cover about 2400 square kilometers of ocean and will include a 54 km stretch of coastal water, to be “free from industrial fishing”. Besides vital fisheries, the area is home to endangered populations of leatherback, olive ridley and green sea turtles and threatened populations of sharks and rays.
With two weeks to go before the summit that will bring together the leaders of the European Union and the African Union in Brussels on 17 and 18 February 2022, the team that has taken over the reins of AFRIFISH - the continental platform that brings together non-state actors in African fisheries - is determined to make itself heard.
