DG MARE and DG DEVCO jointly respond to the Communication of African artisanal professional fishing organisations (CAOPA) underscoring their concerns regarding the African Union’s blue economy strategy.
On 15 September, the African Confederation of Professional Organizations of Artisanal Fisheries (CAOPA) published a communication explaining why the African Union’s blue economy strategy threatened small-scale fisheries. The document was drafted in preparation of a consultative workshop on the implementation of the African Union’s Blue economy strategy for Africa scheduled for 15 October with key stakeholders, including civil society and fisheries actors. As the EU has funded the elaboration of this Blue Economy strategy, and ahead of the development of policies for its implementation – which will require additional funding - CAOPA also shared this communication with DG MARE and DG DEVCO.
The European Commission has responded to CAOPA by reiterating the EU’s “strong commitment and support to the UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, and in line with it, the implementation” of the FAO guidelines for securing small-scale fisheries. The EC recognised “the important role artisanal fishers play not only in the sustainable management of aquatic resources but also as repository of knowledge, values and practices,” noted that “CAOPA’s observations are very pertinent and relevant” and that they would be taken into account in the course of a new co-funded project for enhancing fisheries management in Africa.
CAOPA’s concerns had to do with the potential consequences of a blue economy, especially competition for scarce resources: “the growth of blue economy sectors, including mining, tourism, aquaculture, shipping, and marine conservation, all have complex impacts on costal development and the lives of poorer communities.” Whereas the EU acknowledged they have contributed to the elaboration of the AU’s Blue Economy strategy “through a grant to AU-IBAR”, they underscored that “the policy development process was fully led by African institutions.” Nevertheless, the EC “concurs with your [CAOPA] concerns” and stated that any “[g]ains in the industrialisation process should be accompanied by policy measures to protect the stakeholders most affected by this process.”
Finally, the EU also concurred with CAOPA’s worries about transparency and participation, bad governance and corruption, asserted that “[t]he elaboration of national and regional strategies and plans governing the fisheries’ sector requires extensive and well-documented consultation processes at different levels” and affirmed they are “committed to addressing the negative impact of malpractices and corruption on the sustainable management of marine resources.”
Banner photo: @thomvallez/Unsplash
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.