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 Commission is preparing a set of guidelines for an harmonised approach to ensure EU funded activities do not undermine EU environmental objectives. For fisheries, this should not result in weaker environmental safeguards. The EU should also be supporting those fishers that have maintained low-impact and selective practices for years.
Climate change is transforming the environmental and social landscapes of African coasts. While small-scale fishing communities are suffering first hand the impacts of climate change, they are also developing community-led and nature-based solutions to adapt and become resilient. In this article, the author goes through some examples and gives recommendations on how the EU can support these initiatives.
