Access agreements, Artisanal fisheries, Governance, Transparency, Sectoral support
Anaïd Panossian
What future for Sustainable Fisheries ...

In view of the global evaluation of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs) that will be carried out by the Commission in 2021, the author highlights the key points which will need to be assessed from the perspective of the impacts on African coastal communities. The author also suggests essential improvements to be made for the future of SFPAs so that they better respond to the needs of these communities.

What future for Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements?
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Why the $700 billion funding gap for biodiversity is dangerous nonsense: Implications for the oceans and small-scale fisheries

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Why the $700 billion funding gap for biodiversity is dangerous nonsense: Implications for the oceans and small-scale fisheries

Closing the funding gap for biodiversity conservation is one of the critical topics at COP 16 in October 2024. The funding gap has been estimated at $700 billion in Goal D of the Kunming-Montreal Agreement, based on a report, “Financing Nature”, published in 2020. Taking the example of fisheries and ocean conservation, this article shows the $700 billion figure is based on highly dubious calculations and assumptions. The author argues the funding gap report is not a serious effort to estimate the needs for supporting conservation efforts. Therefore, the $700 billion figure should be rejected by those opposed to the continuing financialisation of conservation.

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A CFP external dimension fit for the future: more focus on good governance, less on paying access rights for EU fleets

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A CFP external dimension fit for the future: more focus on good governance, less on paying access rights for EU fleets

The author makes 4 recommendations to make the external dimension of the CFP more effective: (1) the EU should shift from access agreements to fisheries governance agreements, while (2) continuing to support informed participation of stakeholders in third countries; (3) it should also ensure that all vessels of EU origin, including those reflagged, abide by sustainability standards; and (4) it should actively engage, at international level, to promote transparent, fair, and sustainable access arrangements applicable to all fleets of foreign origin fishing in developing countries.

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The Gambia-EU Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement negotiations: Questions arising

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The Gambia-EU Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement negotiations: Questions arising

With Senegal’s yellow card, fisheries agreement negotiations between the EU and Senegal are at a standstill. Meanwhile, the EU will negotiate the renewal of its SFPA with The Gambia, whose waters are bordered on both sides by Senegal’s. How would access to the Gambian waters be used by EU fleets, at a time when they may be barred from Senegal waters?

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How private finance through blue bonds affects local communities: the Seychelles experience

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How private finance through blue bonds affects local communities: the Seychelles experience

Andre Standing, senior consultant at CFFA, discusses with researcher Arınç Onat Kılıç, who has recently published a paper exploring the Seychelles Blue Bond, its impact on local fishing communities and the broader implications of private finance for developing the blue economy.

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Yellow card Senegal: the fight against IUU fishing must also be waged in the coastal zone

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Yellow card Senegal: the fight against IUU fishing must also be waged in the coastal zone

At a time when the fisheries agreement is being renegotiated, Senegal is initiating a formal dialogue with the EU on the fight against IUU fishing. As part of this dialogue, the European Union has a responsibility to improve controls on vessels of European origin, and to impose heavy penalties when they fail to comply with the rules.

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Norway is flooding the EU market with unsustainable fish products, like farmed salmon – This should stop

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Norway is flooding the EU market with unsustainable fish products, like farmed salmon – This should stop

In this article, the author underscores the ecological and social impacts of Norwegian intensive salmon farming, including the impact on food security in West Africa. The author remarks that while on the one hand, the European Union promotes fish for human consumption in Africa, on the other, the EU also opens wide its market gates for Norwegian farmed salmon, which is fed West African fish.

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São Tomé and Príncipe to develop offshore artisanal fisheries. Will the EU’s SFPA help?

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São Tomé and Príncipe to develop offshore artisanal fisheries. Will the EU’s SFPA help?

In this article, the author delves into the impacts of climate change and other challenges for São Tomé and Príncipe (STP) small-scale fishing communities. To develop the sector, the government is looking to develop offshore artisanal fishing. The author examines the factors that need to be considered for the upcoming renewal of the protocol of the EU-STP Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA).

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Fishing at a discount? Rethinking the design of fisheries access fees in Africa

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Fishing at a discount? Rethinking the design of fisheries access fees in Africa

The author discusses the design of access fees for foreign fishing vessels in African countries and explains why these fees are low in most African nations. He also debates conditions under which industrial fishing vessels of foreign origin should be given access, or not, to African coastal countries waters, and argues for a re-think of access fees design.

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Will fishers be sidelined, once again, at the UN Ocean Conference?

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Will fishers be sidelined, once again, at the UN Ocean Conference?

In a joint contribution to an open call for civil society organisations, CFFA and CAOPA raise the alarm about the challenges for small-scale fishers to take part in decision-making processes of international ocean governance and ask for a human-rights-based approach.

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States have an obligation to act against beneficial owners of vessels involved in IUU fishing

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States have an obligation to act against beneficial owners of vessels involved in IUU fishing

In this article, Pieter van Welzen argues that states have an obligation to act against their nationals who are beneficial owners and are involved in illegal, unreported, and unregulated IUU fishing activities. For this, the author talks about the challenges for flag and coastal states to fight against IUU fishing in many cases, introduces indications in international law for beneficial owner state responsibility and summarizes key state practice.

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The best way EU Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements contribute to food security is by protecting and promoting artisanal fisheries

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The best way EU Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements contribute to food security is by protecting and promoting artisanal fisheries

In this article, the author reviews a recent report published by Poseidon and funded by German govenrment which looks at how to increase the benefits of EU SFPAs in African countries, with a particular emphasis on small-scale fisheries, gender equity and food security.

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Removing obstacles to co-management of West African artisanal fisheries

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Removing obstacles to co-management of West African artisanal fisheries

West Africa has pioneered several decades of artisanal fisheries management reform. Yet there are still major obstacles to co-management: a lack of political will reflected in low budgetary allocations; inadequate and poorly targeted support for fisher organizations; poorly defined roles and responsibilities of fishers in co-management; lack of enforcement of inshore exclusive zones; and inadequate defense of human rights and particularly the important role of women.

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West Africa: The EU should promote human consumption over the production of fishmeal and fish oil

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West Africa: The EU should promote human consumption over the production of fishmeal and fish oil

JOINT LETTER: 11 African artisanal fisheries organisations and development NGOs send a letter to Commissioners Virginius Sinkevicius and Jutta Urpilainen asking them to use the crucial voice of the EU through Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements and the EU-Africa partnership to address the impending food crisis in the West African region linked to the fishmeal and fishoil production.

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Illegal operations of Italian vessels in West Africa: when will the Commission get its head out of the sand?

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Illegal operations of Italian vessels in West Africa: when will the Commission get its head out of the sand?

After repeated illegal operations by vessels of Italian origin in Africa, the author reviews the European legal framework and recommends that the European Commission be stricter with Member States when they fail to control and sanction their vessels operating in third-country waters. The Commission should also provide a better framework for reflagging.

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The role of artisanal fishing “exclusive” zones in preferential access to resources

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The role of artisanal fishing “exclusive” zones in preferential access to resources

This article analyses a series of studies jointly commissioned by CAOPA and CFFA on areas reserved to artisanal fisheries in several African countries. The author sheds light on common challenges for protecting small-scale fishers access and the pressing need for better developing co-management in coastal fisheries, and looks into how can the EU support protection of small-scale fishers’ access to resources.

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Gabon’s Odious Debt-for-ocean Swap: The implications for ocean governance

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Gabon’s Odious Debt-for-ocean Swap: The implications for ocean governance

This article covers TNC’s recent debt-for-ocean swap with Gabon, involving US$500 million worth of debt. In exchange, the Gabonese government has committed to protect up to 30% of the oceans. The author looks in detail at the deal (Part 1) and the conservation commitments (Part 2), explores the problems with this deal in terms of debt justice and of ocean governance, and develops its implications for coastal communities.

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EU-Mauritania SFPA: scientists highlight key sustainability issues, do not consider coral reefs protection

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EU-Mauritania SFPA: scientists highlight key sustainability issues, do not consider coral reefs protection

The latest minutes of the meeting of the last Joint Scientific Committee (JSC) of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Mauritania reveal that there is still a long way to go to ensure that all EU fleets active in Mauritania fish sustainably, particularly as regards the control and limitation of by-catches and discards.

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‘It takes two to tango’ – EU fishing partnerships agreements must become more attractive to partner countries

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‘It takes two to tango’ – EU fishing partnerships agreements must become more attractive to partner countries

The Commission’s SFPA evaluation concludes that they are“fit for purpose” and identifies areas for improvement in the implementation of the governance framework. Most of these areas are under the responsibility of the partner country, which suggests that there is a lack of commitment from some partner countries to make these fishing agreements a success.

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EU-Senegal fisheries partnership: transparency is essential at all levels

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EU-Senegal fisheries partnership: transparency is essential at all levels

In a contribution sent to the European Commission, co-signed with 8 other civil society and environmental organisations, we highlight the most important points to be taken into account for the renewal of the protocol, to ensure that the fishing agreement has a positive impact for small-scale coastal fishing communities.

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FAO Sub-Committee on Fish Trade: The role of women in fisheries must be better recognised

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FAO Sub-Committee on Fish Trade: The role of women in fisheries must be better recognised

The Sub-Committee responsible for providing recommendations to the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) on the technical and economic aspects of the international fish trade is meeting in Bergen (Norway) this week. We take a look at what's at stake for small-scale fisheries in Africa.