The message from African artisanal fishers to the FAO: "Sardinella should be reserved for small-scale fishers, for human consumption, not for fishmeal"

The message from African artisanal fishers to the FAO: "Sardinella should be reserved for small-scale fishers, for human consumption, not for fishmeal"

The FAO organised a workshop in Accra (Ghana) from 5 to 7 December on the theme: "Optimising food and nutritional security and the benefits of small pelagic species production in sub-Saharan Africa". In a joint presentation, CAOPA and CFFA warned of the impact of the decline in sardinella in West Africa on fishers, women fish processors and consumers.

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.

Côte d'Ivoire: "Thanks to this refrigerated container, women processors and fishmongers in San Pedro are able to get by"

Côte d'Ivoire: "Thanks to this refrigerated container, women processors and fishmongers in San Pedro are able to get by"

Two years after receiving funding from the EU-Côte d'Ivoire SFPA to buy a refrigerated container, we examine how the women of the Société Coopérative de Femmes Mareyeuses Grossistes et Détaillantes in the fishing port of San Pedro are faring. Beyond fish preservation, enabling women to become autonomous remains a challenge.

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.

Accused of greenwashing and opacity, the French company Olvea replies. Is it convincing?

Accused of greenwashing and opacity, the French company Olvea replies. Is it convincing?

The discussion on Olvea’s role in the exploitation of West Africa small pelagics for fishoil comes as the OECD’s Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct have recently been updated and strengthened, to ensure responsible business conduct regarding their impacts across areas such as climate change, biodiversity and supply chain due diligence

Artisanal Fishing Local Councils “CLPA”: the fight to preserve the marine ecosystem

Artisanal Fishing Local Councils “CLPA”: the fight to preserve the marine ecosystem

Since 2010, Senegal has set up CLPAs as a fisheries co-management system. They aim to resolve problems at local level and involve fishers in monitoring, control, and surveillance. However, there is a lack of resources for this system to be implemented effectively. An article by journalist Paule Kadja Traoré.

"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.

Destructive and polluting Deep Sea mining should not get the green light, say fishers

Destructive and polluting Deep Sea mining should not get the green light, say fishers

The clock keeps ticking as the International Seabed Authority negociations for a mining code end without an agreement in Jamaica last March. Small-scale fisheries organisations from Africa and the Pacific ask for the precautionary approach

Cacophony over Cameroon - EU sanctions the country for IUU whilst supporting a value chain involved in IUU

Cacophony over Cameroon - EU sanctions the country for IUU whilst supporting a value chain involved in IUU

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.

“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.

"Conservation is not for conservation's sake. Conservation is for us: we need a fair place for communities."

"Conservation is not for conservation's sake. Conservation is for us: we need a fair place for communities."

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.

To go far, you have to be together. The Ivorian women in artisanal fisheries can tell you how

To go far, you have to be together. The Ivorian women in artisanal fisheries can tell you how

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.

The number of deaths of African artisanal fishers is devastatingly high, says new research

The number of deaths of African artisanal fishers is devastatingly high, says new research

The FISH Safety Foundation recently published a report ‘Triggering Death, Quantifying the true human cost of global fishing’, which estimates that more than 100,000 persons involved in fishing are killed every year, a number four times higher than the fatalities estimated by ILO.

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.

COFI 35: “Never has there been such enthusiasm for small-scale fisheries”

COFI 35: “Never has there been such enthusiasm for small-scale fisheries”

The 35th session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries was a milestone in the history of recognition of the contributions of small-scale fisheries to food security, livelihoods, culture and wellbeing.