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?

Governance

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Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement negotiations between the EU and Mauritania: staying on course

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Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement negotiations between the EU and Mauritania: staying on course

As a new round of negotiations between the EU and Mauritania is expected to start soon, this position paper recalls the demands of the Mauritanian artisanal fisheries sector, highlighting technical conditions, such as the access to octopus to be reserved for local artisanal fishers, the zoning for trawlers to be maintained, and landings of small pelagics to be kept. Governance issues are also key, such as transparency, especially regarding the activities of other foreign fleets; and the urgent need for the SFPA to contribute to regional management for shared stocks.

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EU Farm to Fork Strategy: Raising the ambition on global fisheries aspects

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EU Farm to Fork Strategy: Raising the ambition on global fisheries aspects

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.

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Making Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements’ evaluations more efficient

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Making Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements’ evaluations more efficient

BirdLife Europe and Central Asia, CFFA and WWF publish a joint paper with recommendations to improve the process and the content of evaluations by including the assessment of impacts of the EU fleet on ecosystems, of the transparency and non-discrimination clause, the needs of women, the implementation of the social clause and the contribution to SDGs.

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Why the current African Union’s blue economy strategy threatens small-scale fisheries

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Why the current African Union’s blue economy strategy threatens small-scale fisheries

In a public communication, African artisanal fisheries professional organisations warn on the risk of investing in polluting industries for short-term gains as African governments try to kick start their economies in the aftermath of COVID pandemic.

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Towards greater coherence and budgetary efficiency in future EU sustainable fisheries partnerships

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Towards greater coherence and budgetary efficiency in future EU sustainable fisheries partnerships

This concept note is part of CFFA's long-term reflection and consultation on the future of the European Union's Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs). We develop some avenues for making SFPAs more effective and sustainable, through a holistic and concerted approach, a financial rebalancing and the implementation of rigorous budgetary tools combined with capacity building.

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Investment and transparency in EU-Africa fisheries relations: what about joint ventures?

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Investment and transparency in EU-Africa fisheries relations: what about joint ventures?

In this joint position, CAOPA and CFFA request that, in the framework of the future EU–Africa partnership, which focuses on sustainable investments and the promotion of good governance in fisheries, a set of principles be defined to ensure that fisheries joint ventures operate in a transparent manner, do not compete with local artisanal fisheries, and are in line with the objectives of sustainable fisheries development in the third country concerned.

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How large is the Chinese Distant Water Fishing fleet?

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How large is the Chinese Distant Water Fishing fleet?

The latest ODI report presents the scale of the Chinese flagged, owned and/or operated DWF fleet and highlights the gaps and challenges in China’s governance capacity, but the methodology and the figures need to be taken with a pinch of salt. Using specific examples, CFFA reviews the key findings and implications for the West Africa region.

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EU-Liberia SFPA: what should a potential future protocol look like?

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EU-Liberia SFPA: what should a potential future protocol look like?

In this position paper, CFFA comments on which resources could be accessed by the EU fleet in Liberia’s EEZ, on the need for more transparency and how the EU can positively contribute to Liberian fisheries governance.

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10 priorities for the future of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements

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10 priorities for the future of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements

CFFA and six other European and African organisations and their networks publish a joint paper with recommendations to improve the sustainability of EU-African fishing arrangements, including transparency, compliance with European obligations, increased scientific knowledge and the rethinking of the financial support objectives.

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Fisheries in Africa: Exclusive Economic Zones for which purpose?

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Fisheries in Africa: Exclusive Economic Zones for which purpose?

This policy brief by Michel Morin analyses the paradox between the rights that African coastal States have over their EEZs according to UNCLOS and the low benefit they derive from them for their populations, particularly for food security and employment. The article shows that there is a structural weakness in the market of fishing rights which is explained by corruption and lack of transparency, and it concludes by the need for a change of governance in the management of African fisheries.

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Financial compensation, support for development and transparency, the key issues at stake in the negotiation of the EU-Madagascar SFPA

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Financial compensation, support for development and transparency, the key issues at stake in the negotiation of the EU-Madagascar SFPA

The Government of Madagascar has made it clear that it expects to derive greater benefits from its tuna resources through higher financial compensation. If this compensation is coupled with well-directed sectoral support for local fisheries, this could help develop Madagascar's small-scale fishing sector, which provides thousands of jobs and is essential for food security.

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Traditional fishing or small-scale maritime fishing in Madagascar: a state of play

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Traditional fishing or small-scale maritime fishing in Madagascar: a state of play

The author highlights the enormous needs of traditional fishing, as well as the urgent problems of food security and stock depletion, but also proposes that improved resource management and aid present excellent opportunities for local development.

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Amidst COVID-19 crisis, African artisanal fisheries are more than ever essential to feed the population

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Amidst COVID-19 crisis, African artisanal fisheries are more than ever essential to feed the population

Through a micro-blog and the hashtag #covid_ssf and in collaboration with its partners, CFFA will publish news from African small-scale fisheries, the impacts of this crisis, and the measures authorities and fishing communities are implementing.

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Contributing to the promotion of the women in fisheries livelihoods through SFPAs between EU and African countries

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Contributing to the promotion of the women in fisheries livelihoods through SFPAs between EU and African countries

Women issues are largely overlooked when negotiating a fishing agreement, which reflects the general lack of awareness and data on their actual contribution to the whole fish value chain. These are some recommendations to make these EU-Africa partnerships more gender inclusive.

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Mauritania: How the EU agreement can be used to improve fisheries management

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Mauritania: How the EU agreement can be used to improve fisheries management

As the EU is negotiating a new protocol under the existing agreement, concrete steps should be taken to ensure the sustainable exploitation of sardinella in the region, including increased sampling of small pelagic catches, applying the recommendations of the FAO working group and starting consultations with neighbouring countries on joint management of shared stocks.

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Is Blue Growth compatible with securing small scale fisheries ?

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Is Blue Growth compatible with securing small scale fisheries ?

In this new report, CFFA highlights six areas of concern that demonstrate how incompatible blue growth is with the development of healthy, sustainable artisanal fisheries and how it prevents the advance of the responsible governance of tenure to achieve food security and poverty eradication

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Government transparency for ocean governance: Why the human rights based approach should be prioritised, not fighting IUU fishing

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Government transparency for ocean governance: Why the human rights based approach should be prioritised, not fighting IUU fishing

For small-scale fisheries organisations it is important that the international push for transparency is not dominated by anti-IUU campaigns. Poor information sharing between governments and small-scale fisheries affects a much wider set of issues relating to tenure rights and ensuring fair and sustainable access to fish.