Guinea-Bissau has prohibited the production of fishmeal and fish oil. The objective is to safeguard national food security, preserve marine ecosystems, and protect coastal livelihoods, while supporting the sustainable regional management of shared fish stocks. The effectiveness of this decision will ultimately depend on robust enforcement and implementation.
The BBNJ Agreement reshapes the governance of fisheries without imposing direct regulations: high seas MPAs could displace fishing effort into African EEZs, potentially increasing competition to access for small-scale fisheries. At the same time, the treaty legitimizes negotiated and community-based spatial management tools.
A recent study in Nature Sustainability reviews 45 years of EU fishing access agreements with countries across Africa, the Pacific, and beyond. It shows how a small number of EU fleets have consistently captured the lion’s share of fishing opportunities and economic benefits, leading to lasting power asymmetries.
