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.
In this article, the author extracts from the recent report ‘Feeding a monster: How European aquaculture and animal feed industries are stealing food from West African communities’ the main findings related to the European Union and its Members States, and looks at how some of the recommendations may be implemented in the EU.
On World Food Day (16 October) we publish this short brief, which reviews the recommendations of the EU Food Policy Coalition on the global aspects of the EU Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy, underscoring that F2F largely ignores seafood production, and highlights EU trade, cooperation and imports aspects that are essential for sustainable external fisheries.
The Association for the promotion of actors of small scale fisheries of Mbour (APRAPAM), in the framework of its mission, regularly organizes information, awareness and education sessions. On December the 18th 2012, in partnership with the Directorate of industries and processing of fisheries (DITP) and the network of journalists of Mbour for fisheries and environment (RJMPE), APRAPAM organized a workshop Senegal’s national authorization for the export of fisheries products in the EU.
Exports to EU market are subjected to an agreement. The agreement, obtained by Senegal in May 1996, 2nd West and Northern African country endowed with one after Morocco, is subjected to 3 years evaluations by the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the EU (1999, 2004, 2007, 2010). The delivery of the export authorization to the EU is based on the principle of equivalence of inspection systems and of sanitary control of fisheries products. It relies on authority transfer in terms of certification and authorization delivered by the EU to the Senegalese competent authority (DITP), which allows local industrial units authorized by the Authority to export their certified production on European markets.
Senegal’s authorization is the result of an improvement process of hygiene and sanitary conditions of fisheries products aimed at human consumption, mainly in the small scale fisheries sub sector. Many elements helped to obtain this result (appropriate facilities, competent monitoring and control services, education of agents, regulation, etc.).
The goal of this meeting was to think over the conditions favoring the improvement of the conditions and means of sustainability of these laurels. Challenges relate to governance of the sector and sustainable management of the resource, fish trade globalization, traceability of products and IUU fishing.
Adopted recommendations highlight, for the Senegalese part, for example participatory surveillance, involvement of industrials in the whole control process and the automatic registration of pirogues and for the EU part, she should support more developing countries to invest in a proper manner in monitoring, control and surveillance mechanisms and traceability. She should also insist on developing countries on the necessity to share data on vessels authorized to fish in their waters. At last, fisheries local sector should be more involved in order to have a smoother implementation of the IUU regulation.
This local event brought together about sixty participants, public and private actors and civil society from Mbour, one of the fisheries production centers of Senegal. Adopted conclusions are applicable for all Senegal. What is interesting is that they integrated in matters linked to authorization, not only sanitary aspects (conservation means on board, etc.), monitoring control and surveillance means of fisheries (traceability, control operations, etc.) but also questions linked to IUU fishing ((registration of pirogues, illegal licenses, etc.)
More information:
See the following link (in French):http://www.aprapam.org/2012/12/15/j...
And the full report of the meeting (in French) : http://www.aprapam.org/wp-content/u...
Four years ago, when signing the IEPA with Papua New Guinea and Fiji, the EU agreed to a derogation to the rule of origin, in the form of ‘global sourcing’. This means that, regardless of where the fish (tuna) is caught, or the status of a vessel’s flag, registration or ownership, the fish is deemed originating, and can therefore benefit from duty free access to EU market, as long as it is transformed from being fresh or frozen into being a pre-cooked, packaged or canned product. This was a demand of the Pacific ACP group in their EPA negotiations with the European Union. This derogation raised concerns and criticisms from the EU tuna industry. Following a request based on access to information regulation, CFFA received in August a copy of a recent 2010 study commissioned by DG mare on preferential rules of origin for fisheries and aquaculture products. The study shows the importance of the global sourcing derogation for PNG local development, in particular in terms of job creation. It also demonstrates that, if the PNG processing industry was to expand its production thanks to the global sourcing derogation, this will have few direct impacts on the EU tuna industry. Moreover, the study concludes that ‘the perspective of having the EU market flooded by imports from PNG does not appear to be realistic.
CFFA’s position that, in line with their international commitments, particularly the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the European Union and Papua New Guinea should put at the heart of their trade relations the support of environmentally, socially and economically sustainable fisheries development in Papua New Guinea.
CFFA feels therefore that the global sourcing derogation is important to maintain in the future. Moreover, an extension of global sourcing to other fish products should be considered in the negotiation of the full EPA- so that all ACP Pacific islands can increase their benefits from offshore fisheries. However, CFFA also wants to suggest concrete improvements, in particular regarding (1) the sustainable exploitation of tuna resources and (2) the benefits of foreign investments for local populations, coastal communities in particular.
To improve the sustainable exploitation of tuna resources, CFFA requests the EU to deepen the collaboration with Pacific islands in the context of the WCPFC, and support efforts made by the Pacific Islands in the context of the Parties of Nauru Agreement (PNA), to improve the management of the regional tuna fishery through restoring stocks and implementing appropriate reference points and harvest strategies . The EU should also pay particular attention at supporting Pacific islands efforts to combat IUU fishing, and ensure full traceability of their products.
To improve benefits of foreign investments for local populations, coastal communities in particular, CFFA proposes that:
Central mechanisms should be set up for demonstrating local benefits include full compliance with national minimum wage legislation;
National labour law and rights, including on occupational health and freedom of association, should be included into PMIZ and other processing development projects, like the developments going on in Lae and Wewak, legislation ;
any tuna processing facility should employ a minimum of 60% local labour;
The partnership of local players (e.g. service providing firms) with foreign processing investments should be favored.
Such issues could be discussed in the context of the current review process, informed by the review report to be published, and appropriate mechanisms to address them in the future should be designed to improve the impacts of global sourcing. PNG civil society and coastal communities should be adequately informed and involved in the process.
The first Stakeholder Consultation Meeting jointly organised by NEPAD (The New Partnership for Africa’s Development) and the FAO in support of the implementation of the FAO Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa will take place on 10-12 May 2011 in Midrand, South Africa. It will bring together participants from regional fisheries organisations, regional economic communities, donors as well as civil society. The three-day event will consist of a one-day plenary session and two days of consultation in working groups.
The aim is to strengthen and accelerate the fisheries and aquaculture sector in terms of their governance, management and adaptability to climate change. By doing this, the participants will address the rising importance of fisheries in meeting the MDG objectives; and the sector’s crucial role in economic development and poverty alleviation in Africa, in line with the CAADP targets.
The CAOPA (The African Confederation of Small-scale Fisheries Professional Organizations) will participate to the event, and has drafted a series of recommendations for African governments and for international, regional and national institutions. These include that:
Access to resources should be conditional to sustainability criteria;
Priority should be given to local fleets, especially small-scale fisheries;
Fisheries agreements should be concluded on a scientific basis while respecting the precautionary approach;
Priority should be given to fishing for human consumption;
Effective participation of local actors in co-management plans should be promoted by policy frameworks;
Decision-makers should be engaged in an integrated coastal planning strategy;
Parties of fisheries agreements should reinforce their actions towards a real partnership in order to develop efficient management systems and to avoid overexploitation;
Value-adding activities should be promoted by structural actions in order to give SSF priority access to markets;
International fish trade should be fair and equitable;
Standards and regulations should be introduced in a way that allows producers to comply with them;
A permanent participation mechanism should be established in order to inform and involve small-scale fisheries professionals.
The CAOPA also stresses that small-scale fisheries professional organizations should be strengthened by:
Setting up an appropriate deliberative process in order to confront ideas and interests and take coherent and legitimate decisions;
Defining ways to formally identify and integrate actors;
Establishing an appropriate information sharing system;
Building capacity by education and awareness raising;
Making fishing communities aware of climate change impacts and how to mitigate related risks.
Read the full contribution (in French):
CAOPA and CFFA participated to various events at the World Social Forum, held in Dakar from 7 to 10 February. One event was organised by the European parliament Green Group, on sea grabbing, where a study on fishing joint ventures in West Africa, undertaken by EED/CAOPA/CFFA was presented. The study is available here with the presentation of Sid’Ahmed Sidi Mohamed Abeid, Chairman of CAOPA, on the consequences of foreign direct investment (FDI) on small-scale fishing communities in Africa.
The other event was co-organised by EED and CAOPA on fisheries and food security. The event was broadcasted live on the internet thanks to the "World Social Forum Extended" system. Gaoussou Gueye, Secretary general of CAOPA, gave a presentation entitled "Small pelagics artisanal fisheries: a food safety net for Africa".
More information:
Presentation on the consequences of FDI on small-scale fisheries in Africa (in French only)
Presentation on Small pelagics in artisanal fisheries (in French only)
In a global context of decreasing fish resources, the way fish trade is conducted can play an important role for supporting the transition towards sustainable fisheries in European waters and beyond.
We feel there are three important aspects to be looked into in the process of reform:
Promoting sustainable fisheries through EU trade (imports) policy;
Ensuring a fair price for the producers;
Promoting a change of the consumer’s attitude and adapt labelling accordingly.
Read our contribution:
Statement on fish trade issues for small scale fishing sector. Prepared for the 27th session of the FAO Fisheries Committee.
COFI 27: Statement on fish trade issues for small scale fishing sector
In the context of the debate on coherence between the various EU policies, it needs to be examined how the Cotonou Convention objectives are taken into account in the various aspects of the Common Fisheries Policy that have an impact on ACP countries fisheries.
EU Coherence debate: Common Fisheries Policy and Fisheries Development in ACP countries
Quality and traceability of fish products represent particular challenges for the ACP artisanal fishing sector. Given the key role this sector plays for ACP populations’ food security as well as, increasingly, for supplying international fish markets like the EU, addressing these issues in an efficient and appropriate way is vital for the artisanal fishing sector, coastal communities and fish consuming populations.
Quality and Traceability: Issues for the ACP artisanal fishing sector
