Abstract
The sustainable use of fisheries resources is a priority of the African Union in developing the Blue Economy (BE). Growing global demand for seafood has attracted diverse actors to African waters, including Distant Water Fishing Nations (DWFNs) fleets. Complex fisheries governance challenges, unsustainable rates of fishing and rising fisheries-related crimes have ensued. To reverse these impacts, some African states are deploying various fisheries governance mechanisms. Drawing on extensive expert experiences, the review of literature, fisheries databases, international and regional agency reports, NGO and government reports and case studies from West and East Africa, we demonstrate two critical findings. First, fisheries governance mechanisms in Africa act largely to constrain small-scale fisheries (SSF) while failing to contain the industrial fisheries sector, resulting in the marginalisation of the SSF. Secondly, despite a higher incidence of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in industrial fisheries than the SSF, fisheries governance mechanisms continue to advance the 'Survival of the Richest' – the industrial sector, to the detriment of the 'Fittest' – the SSF. The SSF supports millions of jobs and is better adapted to meet the continents' nutrition and socio-economic security. For the fisheries sector to contribute to the sustainable development of Africans, states must redirect governance towards regulating the industrial sector, emphasising equitable access for the SSF whilst prioritising ecological sustainability.
Highlights
With the increasing quest to tap into the Blue Economy (BE) as Africa’s frontier for development, states are paying closer attention to the sustainable use of their coastal and marine resources [69]
The paper drew on on-the-ground expe riences, knowledge, and discussions between co-authors who argue that fisheries governance initiatives have failed to safeguard the interests of the small-scale fisheries (SSF) sector, which may undermine the livelihoods of communities dependent on it and sustainable development of the Afri can people
We have reviewed four case studies to deconstruct the unjust nature of fisheries governance in Africa and rethink the elitist view that sustains the industrial sector while marginalizing the SSF
Summary
With the increasing quest to tap into the Blue Economy (BE) as Africa’s frontier for development, states are paying closer attention to the sustainable use of their coastal and marine resources [69]. The declaration, "we cannot allow this to continue" recognized that IUU fishing threatens the continent’s food and economic security, a view recently echoed in political economy analysis of Africa’s blue economy that identifies IUU fishing as the "greatest threat to the marine ecosystem" globally, and in the continents’ waters ([25]: 333). These strong messages justify investments in urgent governance in terventions to address the challenge of unsustainable fisheries practices
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