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.
The FAO Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture can be improved by including the considerations of stakeholders that are currently facing the negative impacts of unsustainable aquaculture, and by openly addressing issues like the interactions with small scale fisheries, competing for coastal space and for access to resources like small pelagics in West Africa.
2022, the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA), has been a pivotal year for small-scale fisheries, meeting the UN’s goal of raising awareness about the role they play in employment, food security, nutrition, livelihoods, culture, and coastal communities well-being. Beyond recognition, there is an urgent need for concrete action in securing their access to marine resources and markets, as promised by States under Sustainable Development Goal 14.b.
CAOPA (African Confederation of Artisanal Fishing organisations) and CFFA (Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements) participated at the FAO Committee on Fisheries in July 2012. Together, they organised a side event on the exploitation of small pelagics in West Africa, and the sustainability and food security issues arising.
The meeting started with a statement by Gaoussou Gueye (General secretary CAOPA), highlighting the importance of small pelagics for West African fishing communities and their demands to FAO and its members, which included:
To document better the impacts of the various types of exploitation of small pelagics on food security;
To recommend to states and regional fisheries organizations to consider the role of small pelagics in the ecosystems and in food security of developing countries populations when they are to make decisions for managing these resources and allocating access to these resources;
To support initiatives and efforts that will contribute to establish a concerted management of small pelagic resources in West Africa;
To support efforts by fishing communities to actively contribute to the management of these resources in a concerted and sustainable way;
To support an aquaculture based on species that do not require feed made from wild fish, that answers the demands of local and regional markets, and that is not contributing to the unsustainable exploitation of small pelagics stocks.
This statement was followed by an analysis of the main developments affecting small pelagics exploitation in West Africa and policy issues arising, by Dr Andre Standing, from (TransparentSea / CFFA). Some recent developments (2010-2012) which can have a negative impact on food security in West Africa, were examined:
The return of former Soviet Union ‘super trawlers’ to Senegal;
The new fisheries agreement between Chinese Poly Hondone Company and Mauritania;
The expansion of fishing and fish trade by Pacific Andes group in West Africa.
Various factors influencing expanding investments and industrial fishing in West Africa’s small-pelagics were presented:
Links with industrial aquaculture (production of fish oil and fish meal);
Overcapitalization and decreasing profitability of global Distant water fishing fleets targeting small pelagic;
The growth of China’s overseas fishing sector.
A final presentation was made by Brian O’Riordan (ICSF), on the main factors that have affected the small pelagic exploitation by super trawlers in South Pacific, based on a case study of the over-exploited jack mackerel, and the implications it may have for West Africa, with the arrival of these fleets in the region.
More information
Read the full report of CFFA’s participation to the COFI
Read the full report of the side event on small pelagics
Regional Workshop, December 2008, In Conakry (Guinea)
Preparatory national workshops were held in November 2008 in the eight participating countries, during which the following elements were recalled to give an outline of the international context in which this meeting of the professionals was taking place.
In October 2008, men and women coming from the small scale fishing communities all over the world met in Bangkok, at the time of the Conference of FAO on small scale fisheries, and at the workshop of the civil society which preceded it, to discuss the issues for sustainable small scale fisheries. This world event made it possible to raise awareness with many decision makers and stakeholders, including from West Africa.
Read the report of the workshop:
West African artisanal fishing communities: Facing up to the future
27th session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries
We, representatives of African small scale fishing communities and professional organisations, welcome FAO’s efforts to help combat IUU fishing. Our communities suffer greatly from industrial trawlers coming, at night, to fish illegally in zones which are normally reserved for small scale fishing. They destroy our resources, they destroy our coastal zones, they destroy our nets and they even kill our fishermen, when fishing with their lights off, they collide with our artisanal boats. We would like to draw your attention on the following:
Read the whole statement on IUU fishing issues for African coastal communities
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
