Helping fisherfolk in Africa to support responsible fisheries

Fisheries are a significant part of many African economies. They need to be responsibly managed to maximise the sector’s contribution to reducing poverty. The vulnerability of fishing communities, however, may limit their ability to participate in sustainable management practices.

There are about 10 million people working in small andmedium-sized enterprises in Africa’s fishery sector, mostly in west and centralAfrica. Fisheries provide them with employment, income and nutrition(especially important for the poorest groups). Fisheries also boost the economythrough trade, tax revenue and foreign currency earnings. To sustain thesebenefits, fisheries must be managed responsibly. This is not always easy withpressure from both fisherfolk and the fishing industry to increase the level offishing.

Governments can only manage fisheries responsibly incooperation with fisherfolk. Research from the Sustainable Fisheries LivelihoodsProgramme argues that fisherfolk in Africa are isolated from conventionaldevelopment programmes and vulnerable to risk. As a result, they may bereluctant to adopt the long-term management approaches that are central tosustainable fisheries.

It is essential to understand the specific situation ofdifferent fishing communities to enable them to participate in fisheriesmanagement. Key findings from the research include:

• Fishing incomes are highly variable withincommunities, and often uncertain and seasonal: for example, where fish stocksare declining due to overfishing, incomes also decline.
• It is difficult to estimate the assets offisherfolk in terms of land and livestock, as many fisherfolk are mobile (andsome are even cash-rich). Methods used for national poverty surveys maytherefore not be relevant for organisations working with fisherfolk.
• Fisherfolk are oftenexcluded from other employment opportunities, from fair access to land, social services,transport services and markets. Weak political representation may furtherisolate them from development processes (as in Ghana’s Lake Volta).

Marginalisation, along with therisky nature of fishing, makes it difficult for fisherfolk to adapt to ‘shocks’(such as a rapid decline in fish stocks) caused by the environment, economicfactors or state policies. This vulnerability means that many fisherfolk areunwilling or unable to support sustainable fishing practices, such asresponsible systems of access rights. Changing this attitude requires broadcooperation and consultation with fisherfolk.

The authors recommend that:

• ministries, donors andinternational agencies acknowledge the importance of both coastal and inlandfisheries in their development plans
• fishery ministriesassess the poverty of small-scale fisherfolk, including assessments ofvulnerability and marginalisation, and develop links with other agenciesinvolved in poverty reduction
• local governments incorporate fisheries in their developmentplanning and reduce marginalisation by providing fisherfolk with fair access tosocial services.