'2016 should be the African Year of Artisanal Fisheries'

The African Confederation of Artisanal Fisheries Professional organizations (CAOPA) proposes that the African Union should declare 2016 the African Year of artisanal fisheries. Mr. Gaoussou Gueye, Secretary General of CAOPA, explains the reasons why.

Why make such a proposal to the African Union?

 We all know that bad governance in fisheries affects most African countries. When the first Conference of African Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture was held, in 2011, it recommended that Member States should consider the possibility to reform their fisheries and aquaculture policies. The reform strategy that was developed subsequently, identified key objectives for the development of fisheries in Africa[1], including the conservation and sustainable use of fisheries resources through the establishment of good governance. On this topic, we wish to welcome the recent commitment of the African Union, under the impetus of Mauritania, then President of the African Union, to promote transparency in African fisheries.

Another key goal of the Pan-african reform strategy is the development of sustainable artisanal fisheries, by improving and strengthening its contribution to poverty alleviation, food security, and improving the socio-economic benefits to fishing communities.

 We feel, in the CAOPA, that today, the only way to achieve these goals requires both the active involvement of the African Union and its members, as well as the participation of all stakeholders, in particular the African fishing communities that depend on fishing for their livelihoods.

 Do you feel that African artisanal fisheries now better considered by decision makers?

Well, I think decision makers are now more aware of the sheer importance of artisanal fisheries in Africa. Latest FAO figures indicate that 10% of people on the African continent are engaged in fishing and aquaculture, making it the second largest continent after Asia, in terms of jobs in this sector. And the vast majority of these 12.3 million people living on fisheries in Africa are in the artisanal fisheries sector: at least 7.5 million African fishermen and 2.3 million women depend on artisanal fishing for their livelihood. These jobs provide income for millions of families in Africa! African artisanal fishing is by far the leading provider of sector jobs.

 In Africa, for over 200 million people, fish is also a source of protein and essential nutrients (fatty acids, vitamins, minerals) at low prices: fish represents on average 22% of the protein intake in sub-Saharan Africa. In most parts of Africa, capture and trade by the artisanal fisheries sector provides a ‘food safety net 'to the poorest populations. In my country, Sénégal, a fish like sardinella is the most accessible source of animal protein in terms of price and quantity. Today, many Senegalese families can only be assured of one meal a day - lunch based on rice and sardinella.

Another aspect that is important for our decision makers is the contribution of fisheries to GDP of our countries. There, again, artisanal fisheries stand out: the contribution of fisheries to African countries GDP is reaching almost 2 billion US$, and African marine and inland artisanal fisheries account for more than half this figure.

It’s therefore only natural that the international community increasingly recognizes the growing importance of artisanal fisheries, particularly in Africa. For example, in the UN Rio + 20 Declaration, artisanal fishing is described as a "catalyst for sustainable development". This Declaration also stresses the need to protect the rights of access of artisanal fisheries to resources and coastal areas.

Similar provisions are also contained in the Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security. These guidelines help to establish the conditions under which artisanal fishermen will access fish resources, and put the emphasis on the sustainable management of the resource. These Guidelines are also important for us, as they provide a framework to overcome obstacles to sustainable fisheries development in African countries, such as illiteracy, health problems, deprivation of civil and political liberties, etc.

But the greater recognition of the importance of artisanal fishing has been achieved with the adoption, last year, of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines to ensure the sustainability of the artisanal fisheries in the context of food security and eradicating of poverty.

They focus on an issue which is key for African fishing communities: strengthening our contribution to food security and nutrition. The Guidelines also insist on the ‘equity’ aspect of development, so to improve the socioeconomic situation of artisanal fishing communities in a context of sustainable fisheries exploitation. They also incorporate new issues that our communities have to face, such as the impacts of climate change.

So, now, we have all these internationally agreed documents to guide our policies, but it is necessary that African governments, donor agencies, professional organizations and civil society organizations engage and invest in their implementation.

What are your priorities for the implementation of these Guidelines in Africa?

An important challenge we have to take up is the impact of climate change on our communities. This includes addressing very specific issues, such as the governance of Marine Protected Areas, or the promotion of participative surveillance. But this means also reconsidering some fundamental aspects of artisanal fisheries, like the recognition of the role of women in this sector: women are truly at the heart of African artisanal fisheries.

They are present at all stages of the value chain, whether it is the pre-financing and preparation of the fishing campaigns, from the reception of the fish at the beach to its processing and marketing. Moreover, women are also the pillar of the family in African artisanal fishing communities. Within the CAOPA, we are very conscious of this, thus, we promote parity in the representation of women and men: we have a bureau consisting of equal number of men and women representing African fishing communities. We also have a specific programme on Women in Fisheries.

Most importantly, on the occasion of the International Women's Day, on the 8th March, CAOPA organized, now for two years in a row, a meeting amongst women from the CAOPA. This year we were in Bissau. We witnessed a strong mobilization of all stakeholders, professionals and decision makers alike: at the International Women’s Day celebration, organized by CAOPA, about a thousand fishers, women in fisheries, decision makers, citizens got together in Bissau! The workshop in Bissau allowed women to meet, to exchange views. They ultimately came up with a statement which clearly demands that the African Union declares 2016 as the African Year of Artisanal fisheries. It would be for these women a priceless opportunity to gain recognition for their work and their investment in this sector.

What steps have you already taken so far?

We are still proceeding with the information of partners, asking them to support this initiative, such as AU-IBAR, NEPAD, SRFC, PRCM, UNDP, FAO, UEMOA, ECOWAS, CFFA, SSNC, Bread for the World, the EU...

We already had positive feed back from Fisheries Ministers of African States like Mauritania, Guinea Bissau, Senegal and Ivory Coast. We also intend to involve other civil society organizations and decision makers. 

We will of course work with our colleagues from the West African Journalists Network for Responsible Fisheries (REJOPRAO) in order to help us set up and manage an effective communication strategy.

 What are the next steps?

 Our goal now is to formalize this request with various potential partners. We also need to sharpen our advocacy. In June, CAOPA will organize, for this purpose, a meeting with all of our partners to discuss and further elaborate our proposals, and establish a consultative committee specifically dedicated to the promotion of the African Year of Artisanal Fisheries.

We intend to launch officially our proposal during the celebration of the World Fisheries Day in November 21st, 2015, which will be organized in Morocco this year.

In October 2015, we would appreciate, on the occasion of the FAO meeting for the 20th anniversary of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, to meet with the DG of FAO.

Our goal is to launch a process. What is essential for us is that it raises awareness and mobilizes all the stakeholders in African fisheries. And we call all interested organizations to support us in this initiative!

[1] http://www.africanfisheries.org/knowledge-output/policy-framework-and-reform-strategy-fisheries-and-aquaculture-africa

EU Tuna and small pelagic fleets obliged to land 'discards' - issues for developing countries

The new EU Common Fisheries Policy has introduced a 'discard ban', to be implemented through the introduction of a 'landing obligation' of all catches.

The landing obligation will be introduced in 2015 for external fleets targetting tropical tuna and small pelagics. Details have to be precised, in a European Commission (EC) 'delegated act'.

For developing countries, important risks exist, in terms of sustainability and food safety, as well as associated costs for the implementation of the landing obligation.

In its position, CFFA demands the EC to provide clear answers, and to develop strategies, in consultation with third countries stakeholders, to address environmental sustainability and food safety issues arising from the implementation of the landing obligation.

Future common fisheries policy in Africa: outlook from CAOPA

CAOPA answered a questionnaire on an assessment of the fishery sector in the ECOWAS region, proposed by AU regarding the process of a definition of a common fisheries policy, the subject of which being “Contribution of the African confederation of artisanal fishing organizations”, on the 24th of August 2012.

The questionnaire identifies the main strategic issues for capture fisheries and aquaculture in the region and the main challenges and opportunities for these sectors, such as maintaining coastal communities livelihoods, food security and concerted management of the coastal area/fisheries co-management.

The lack of transparency in policies is a key issue, since it threatens the exploitation of resources. Indeed, “transparency in this regard must become the rule and must be the basis for an informed participation of the stakeholders, in particular artisanal fishing communities. Greater transparency is also an important tool in the fight against IUU fishing, which is thriving when the opacity and corruption reign”.

Besides, an analysis on the current human and institutional capacities in the region is proposed. The strengths and weaknesses, challenges and opportunities for the sectors, namely marine fisheries, inland fisheries and aquaculture in the region are highlighted: “Strategies and policies should also be developed to enable artisanal fisheries, which currently target mainly coastal resources, often overfished, to develop offshore artisanal fisheries, for example for tuna species, so that our countries can derive more benefits from offshore fisheries”.

An examination of the level of the existing cooperation between the regional economic communities and regional fisheries organizations in the region is provided and some propositions to strengthen cooperation and collaboration are made.

Moreover, “Artisanal fisheries professionals must be recognized as primary stakeholder by decision makers”. The role of civil society and media is also stressed to be important in the management process.

The fact that there are weaknesses in the implementation of the Code of conduct of the FAO for responsible fishing and other relevant documents in the region or the country is also emphasized.

And finally, some cross border issues in the management of fisheries and the environment in the region are indicated.

Securing transparency in African Marine Fisheries

Contribution by Brian O’Riordan, ICSF Belgium Office Secretary

Over 60 participants from 16 African countries and from 4 countries in the European Union gathered in Mbour, Senegal’s second most important fishing town, to attend a 3 day Conference on Transparency in the Maritime Fisheries Sector in Africa. The event was hosted and organized by the African Confederation of Professional Artisanal Fisheries Organizations (CAOPA) in collaboration with TransparentSea, the Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements (CFFA) and the West Africa Rural Foundation (WARF). This Conference followed the celebration of the World Fisheries Day, also organised by CAOPA, where the FAO Voluntary guidelines for sustainable small scale fisheries were discussed.

Participants to the Conference included fishermen leaders, leaders from the post-harvest sector including women fish processors and traders, civil society organizations, and local authorities. Also present were members of the West African Journalists’ Network for Responsible Fisheries (REJOPRAO), Seafood Choices Alliance Seafood Champion award winners in 2010.

Participants shared and learned about how massive investments being made in aid projects for the development of artisanal fisheries are not benefitting fishing communities, and where transparency is lacking on where the aid monies end up. So too massive flows of speculative transnational capital are being invested in industrial fishing operations in African waters.

The conference underlined how transparency is an emerging issue in fisheries, an issue highlighted by the FAO in its State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture Report for 2010, and being taken account of by the World Bank and other major donors which are beginning to adopt transparency programmes.

Amongst other issues, Conference participants called for Standards and Principles for transparency in fisheries to be developed and adopted. These would include making information available in local languages using simplified terminology; setting time limits for processing and responding to requests for information; making information readily accessible in the form that best suits the country where it is disseminated; and ensuring proper participation and prior informed consent in policy making and implementation.

More information:

• Read the Conference report

• Historic day for Small scale fisheries, VG SSF Guidelines and Civil Society news article.

• Read the full text of the VGSSF.

• The Benefits and Limits of Transparency, by Andre Standing.

CFP Reform: Good Governance issues

On October 5th 2011, CFFA organised, with some of its partners, a workshop in the European Parliament, on good governance issues in the reform of the CFP external dimension. The workshop was attended by about 60 participants, including representatives from the European Commission, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and staff, members of the African parliamentary network APPEL, representatives from EU and ACP Member States, from EU and African fishing organisations platforms , trade unions, fish traders, and NGOs.

The summary report highlights the main points of agreement emerging from the debate, which included:

• The EU’s objectives must be to ensure all its fleets fishing outside EU waters, whether under access agreements, private licensing schemes or joint ventures, operate sustainably, from an environmental, social and economic point of view.

• The EU should also promote the establishment of a level playing field for all fishing operators from distant water fishing nations and coastal countries, whilst recognising the rights of developing countries and their coastal fishing communities to have priority access to their resources.

• The EU needs to develop stronger measures to promote transparency in the CFP, and should also take a leading role in mainstreaming transparency in fisheries, which requires supporting other governments and fisheries organisations to implement transparency measures.

• EU fisheries agreements should be reformed so that they provide a framework to control all EU fisheries-related activities in developing countries fisheries, whilst providing the necessary support to ensure all private investments made in these fisheries are transparent, and environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. The reform of the CFP external dimension must ensure that the means and mechanisms to achieve those objectives are developed and implemented.

Following the meeting, CFFA drafted a list of proposed amendments to the CFP basic regulation, related to good governance issues.

CAOPA’s contribution to the first NEPAD/FAO consultation meeting

The first Stakeholder Consultation Meeting jointly organised by NEPAD (The New Partnership for Africa’s Development) and the FAO in support of the implementation of the FAO Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa will take place on 10-12 May 2011 in Midrand, South Africa. It will bring together participants from regional fisheries organisations, regional economic communities, donors as well as civil society. The three-day event will consist of a one-day plenary session and two days of consultation in working groups.

The aim is to strengthen and accelerate the fisheries and aquaculture sector in terms of their governance, management and adaptability to climate change. By doing this, the participants will address the rising importance of fisheries in meeting the MDG objectives; and the sector’s crucial role in economic development and poverty alleviation in Africa, in line with the CAADP targets.

The CAOPA (The African Confederation of Small-scale Fisheries Professional Organizations) will participate to the event, and has drafted a series of recommendations for African governments and for international, regional and national institutions. These include that:

• Access to resources should be conditional to sustainability criteria; 

• Priority should be given to local fleets, especially small-scale fisheries; 

• Fisheries agreements should be concluded on a scientific basis while respecting the precautionary approach; 

• Priority should be given to fishing for human consumption;

• Effective participation of local actors in co-management plans should be promoted by policy frameworks;

• Decision-makers should be engaged in an integrated coastal planning strategy; 

• Parties of fisheries agreements should reinforce their actions towards a real partnership in order to develop efficient management systems and to avoid overexploitation; 

• Value-adding activities should be promoted by structural actions in order to give SSF priority access to markets; 

• International fish trade should be fair and equitable; 

• Standards and regulations should be introduced in a way that allows producers to comply with them; 

• A permanent participation mechanism should be established in order to inform and involve small-scale fisheries professionals.

The CAOPA also stresses that small-scale fisheries professional organizations should be strengthened by:

• Setting up an appropriate deliberative process in order to confront ideas and interests and take coherent and legitimate decisions; 

• Defining ways to formally identify and integrate actors; 

• Establishing an appropriate information sharing system; 

• Building capacity by education and awareness raising; 

• Making fishing communities aware of climate change impacts and how to mitigate related risks.

Read the full contribution (in French):

Recommandations de la CAOPA

The benefits and limits of transparency

The European Union is currently reforming its Common Fisheries Policy. Initial discussions suggest the issue of improving transparency and accountability in EU fisheries will be taken seriously, with specific recommendations being made on introducing transparency and anti-corruption clauses in EU Fisheries Partnership Agreements signed with third countries. Such recommendations come at a time when calls for improving transparency and accountability in fisheries are gaining momentum, not only from civil society, but also from the fishing industry. The CFP therefore represents an opportunity to advance the notion of access to information and accountability in international fisheries, not only within the EU. Yet this call for improving transparency that has accompanied the CFP reform process has yet to be elaborated on, and recommendations remain vague. This paper aims at deepening the debates on how transparency can be achieved through the CFP reforms, considering both the benefits and the limitations to transparency reforms. The paper puts forward some key discussion points that could be used as the basis for the development of a coherent and thorough strategy on transparency in fisheries, driven by the EU in collaboration with partner organisations, including the fishing authorities of developing countries.

Read our publication:

The benefits and limits of transparency

First Conference of African Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Banjul

NEPAD and African Union Fisheries Summit: Livelihoods should come first urge small-scale fishers and NGOs

Banjul, Gambia, 22 September 2010. Artisanal and small scale fishers and associated civil society representatives from seventeen African countries met in Banjul, Gambia on 21 September, 2010, in advance of the first NEPAD Conference of African Ministers on Fisheries and Aquaculture (CAMFA) to be held on 23 September 2010. The meeting was organized by the Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements, the African Confederation of Artisanal Fishery Professional Organizations and the Commonwealth Foundation, under the banner of "Our Fish, Our Future".

Following the meeting, participants issued the Banjul Civil Society Declaration on Sustainable Livelihoods in African Fisheries (http://www.camfa-cso.org). The declaration highlights key issues in African fisheries and provides recommendations on how the 2005 NEPAD Action Plan for Development of Fisheries and Aquaculture should be taken forward.

The declaration warns that a purely economic approach represents a threat to the sustainable development of fisheries resources and livelihoods of poor marginalized artisanal and small scale fishing communities. It emphasizes the importance and value of small-scale and artisanal fisheries in the African context towards providing food security for 200 million Africans and jobs for more than 10 million people engaged in fish production, processing and trade. It further highlights the negative impacts of climate change, industrial fishing and illegal unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), including dwindling catches, displacement of communities and the destruction of fishing grounds. In turn this affects the social stability of entire regions, the Declaration states.

The significance of IUU fishing in African waters was echoed by Tim Bostock, Fisheries advisor to United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) in the opening session of the CAMFA on Monday 20th September, who noted that illegal fishing alone accounts for removing fish valued at some $1billion from the waters of Sub-Saharan Africa every year.

The CAMFA is a follow-up to the 2005 Abuja "Fish for All" summit, and African fisheries ministers are expected to assess and validate a fisheries plan of action for the region.

The meeting of small scale and artisanal fishers and civil society organizations is also part of an ongoing process, which since 2006 has included a growing network of West African journalists for responsible fisheries (REJOPRAO). From 15-23 September, the REJOPRAO organized training workshop for journalists, with the objective of focusing on responsible fisheries and related topics and issues in West Africa. Following the training, the journalists from sub region will carry out the media coverage, as observers, of CAMFA.

Since 2005, organizations representing the professionals (fishers, traders, processors and fishmongers) from the artisanal fishing sector have worked to establish a regional body to represent their interests. Earlier this year, this initiative led to the founding of CAOPA - the African Confederation of Professional Artisanal Fishery Sector Organizations.

More information:

• Banjul Civil Society Declaration

• OCEAN2012 Press Release

CFFA-EED comments on the UNEP draft "Green Economy Report"

In the framework of the Green Economy Initiative, launched in October 2008, UNEP started working on a global Green Economy Report, together with over 70 research institutes around the world. This report targets decision-makers and aims to identify the key “enabling conditions” required to achieve a transition to a green economy globally, as defined in the report preview published in May 2010.

CFFA’s first input in this process took place during the ICTSD/UNEP meeting on “Fisheries, Trade and Development”, held in Geneva on the 16th of June. Comments were made on the “Aid for Trade” aspects of developing countries fisheries. This discussion and the contacts made with UNEP led us to this official multi-stakeholder consultation on the GER.

According to the agenda, the purpose of this two days workshop was for the authors of the GER to share initial results/key messages and respond to questions and comments from a broad range of stakeholders. The issues discussed at the workshop, together with comments from a technical peer review process (to take place in late 2010), will be assembled for guiding the final revisions of the various chapters: renewable energy, industry, transport, cities, buildings, waste management and recycling, fisheries, water, forests, agriculture, tourism, finance, modeling, and enabling conditions.

CFFA-EED’s contribution to this workshop focuses on the "Fisheries" chapter of the GER and especially on the four proposals made for "greening the fisheries": "Reforming fisheries subsidies and other economic distortions", "Adjustment costs", "Building effective national, regional and international institutions" and "Strengthening regulatory reforms and fisheries management".

More information:

• Preliminary comments on UNEP draft GER by CFFA and EED

• CFFA’s workshop report

West African artisanal fishing communities: Facing up to the future

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

Sub regional Fisheries Committee (SRFC) meeting on artisanal fisheries management

2 october 2006. Following the proposal of the SRFC (West Africa Sub Regional Fisheries Committee) permanent secretary and the request by artisanal fishing professional organisations from Guinea (UNPAG), Mauritania (FNP-section artisanale) and Senegal (CONIPAS), these organisations were invited to participate to the SRFC meeting on artisanal fisheries management, held in Praia from 26th till 29th september 2006.

Sub regional Fisheries Committee (SRFC) meeting