Protecting West African Fisheries: Challanges and Opportunities for EU Collaboration

The European Union (EU) aims to protect the Earth’s oceans and support communities that depend on them. This includes a commitment to sustainable development, fair trade, and human rights. In West Africa, the EU’s approach centers on legal frameworks like green deals, subsidies, and Sustainable Fishing Partnership Agreements (SFPAs). However, while well-intentioned, these measures have had unintended consequences for West African fishing communities. This blog explores the impacts of current EU practices and highlights the vital role of youth in finding solutions for a more sustainable and equitable future.

Sustainable Fishing Partnership Agreements: Unintended Consequences

SFPAs allow European fleets to fish in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of non-EU countries in exchange for financial compensation. While designed to promote sustainable fishing, SFPAs in West Africa face implementation challenges. Compensation amounts are often low compared to the potential socioeconomic costs for local fishers and the revenue generated for the EU. Additionally, the allocation of aid for local fisheries and community development can be limited, as exemplified in the case of Mauritania. While the EU contributes 60.8 million Euros annually to Mauritania, only 3.3 million Euros is used for sectoral support. Furthermore, monitoring and enforcement of SFPAs can be insufficient, leading to non-compliance and overfishing. These loopholes primarily disadvantage West African nations, resulting in an unequal distribution of costs and benefits.

Subsidies and Overfishing

Subsidies provided by the EU and other global powers can unintentionally fuel overfishing in West African waters. Capacity-enhancing subsidies, like fuel tax exemptions, artificially lower costs for fishing companies, increasing fishing activity beyond sustainable levels. Globally, an estimated 63% of fisheries subsidies fall into this category. Fuel tax exemptions display the most harmful type of subsidy, yet present 12.6% of the EMFAF budget. EU subsidies set a monetary incentive to exploit overseas resources, increasing demand and supply. In reality, governments artificially create profitability by allocating fishing subsidies. Counterfactually, the current extent of fishing would not be viable without financial contribution from the governments. This distorts natural regulation, through which fishermen instinctively cease fishing once the majority of the resources have been exhausted. However, the subsidies incentivize fishermen to continue despite risking over-exploitation and depletion of fish stocks, encouraging unsustainable fishing behavior.

The Impact on West Africa: Food Security, Livelihoods, and Migration

West Africa's food security and livelihoods are intrinsically linked to the health of its fisheries. The sector provides employment for a significant portion of the population, with an estimated of 78% working in agriculture and off-farm activities. Overfishing directly threatens this vital food source, leading to poverty, hunger, and creating complex pressures that can lead to migration. In particular, 60% of the annual GDP of Sierra Leone, for instance, was derived from agriculture, forestry and fishing in 2021. The fishing sector forms a substantial part of the food employment. Taking Senegal as an example, one in five people work in the fishing industry, as the sea is Senegal's primary resource accessible to inhabitants, proving its dependence on the ocean as a providing resource. Another example depicts Ghana, where 18% of households are occupied with fishing and 23% with fish processing. Thus, overfishing is primarily felt by the local coastal communities residing nearby the affected EEZ, particularly resulting in food insecurity, poverty and migration.

Communities like those in Senegal have seen their fish catch decline by a staggering 75% in a decade, diminishing a primary source of protein. Incomes for small-scale West African fishers have decreased by an estimated 40% in recent years. This undermines not just food security, but the ability to provide other necessities for families. Formerly, finding a job did not depict a difficulty of similar degree as it does today - taking over or working in the business established by parents was a common phenomenon. Moreover, working within the primary sector requires a lower level of education. In Nigeria for instance, 71% of 15 to 19 year olds work within agriculture. Yet, a transition can be noted, in which a higher percentage of the youth begins working in non-agricultural activities. This roots back to a decrease in agricultural resources as well as a higher level of education. Especially regarding the fisheries sector, employment possibilities decrease due to the surging fish scarcity. Nonetheless, 32 million children within Western and Central Africa do not attend school, limiting employment possibilities outside the agricultural sector. Similarly impacted, 68% of employed women are engaged in the food economy. In short, limited resources narrow job opportunities within the agricultural sector in Western Africa. Yet, insufficient education impedes the younger generation from perceiving work in other sectors. Subsequently, they are forced to migrate to ensure their subsistence. 

As coastal livelihoods become unsustainable, some feel they have no choice but to migrate in search of better opportunities. This can be within West Africa to different coastal regions, to other African nations, or increasingly, towards Europe. The main reasons to leave Western Africa display ‘population pressure, poverty, poor economic performances and endemic conflicts’. While migrants predominantly migrate due to worsened plantation economy, the fish scarcity displays another incentive. As visible in Somalia, depriving inhabitants of fish as a resource creates high food insecurity and therefore increases migration to Europe. Western Africans predominantly immigrate to Equatorial Guinea, South Africa, as well as Europe. It is a common phenomenon that artisanal fishermen relocate to other coastal areas within Western Africa, seeking to continue their previous occupation there. Some areas are more affected by the fish depletion than others due to local policies. For instance, Senegalese and Liberian fishermen commonly migrate to Ghana, as it is less affected by the resource scarcity. These migration patterns are often also related to their ethnicity and pivotal to the fisheries practice. However, migration owed to fish depletion is not only limited to migration within Western Africa. Indeed, thousands of Senegalese fishermen emigrate to Europe, hoping to find a higher living quality by pursuing a similar employment.

The Role of Youth

Young people make up a significant portion of the population in West Africa – roughly 62% of the working population is between 15 and 34. They are directly impacted by dwindling fish stocks and climate change, and they hold the key to building a resilient future. West African youth possess energy, creativity, and a deep understanding of local challenges. The EU must prioritize their inclusion when seeking solutions: The EU should place greater emphasis on empowering youth to actively participate in decision-making processes that shape their future. European citizens are represented through Members of the European Parliament, civil society organizations, and participatory mechanisms such as the European Citizens’ Initiative and petitions. Although the EU has developed a framework for youth inclusion – such as the EU Youth Dialogue and the European Youth Forum – these platforms largely focus on European citizens. When addressing cross-border issues like fisheries, the EU must extend the reach of these platforms to include voices from youth in impacted third countries.

Given that current decision-making processes predominantly include the voices of European citizen, knowledge exchange becomes essential to bridge the gap in understanding challenges faced by non-European communities. In the context of SFPAs, which significantly impact the livelihoods of youth in West African nations, it is crucial to establish programs that connect young West African leaders with European policymakers and experts in marine conservation, sustainable fisheries, and policy development. Involving these young leaders in the formulation and adaption of agreements ensures that policies are not only scientifically sound but also aligned with local realities. Addressing this issue collaboratively offers an opportunity for the EU and West African nations to leverage their diplomatic ties and creating inclusive frameworks.

Furthermore, EU policy could be reformed to place a stronger emphasis on support programs that directly benefit local communities. This can be achieved by increasing the financial aid currently allocated to the local fisheries sector and the livelihoods of affected communities. Under SFPAs, fees and fines are often intended to support the local fisheries sector. It is thus crucial to ensure that these funds reach the impacted communities rather than the governments.

Beyond financial support, the EU should support in youth-led initiatives that promote sustainable fishing practices and develop alternative livelihoods linked to the marine economy. For instance, establishing protected zones closer to the shore will increase the catch of small-scale boats, contributing to food security and economic stability. In Senegal and Mauritania, for example, international organizations like the Marine Stewardship Council aim to improve fisheries management by involving the youth in activities such as habitat restoration and reducing bycatch.

Additionally, support programs should explore the potential of the ocean for other purposes, such as renewable energy production or marine plant cultivation. This could diversify employment opportunities for young people and reduce dependence on fish stocks. The Food and Agriculture Organization has already supported various national strategies in West African countries that create employment opportunities for youth through sustainable aquaculture systems. By enhancing these programs, the EU can foster long-term economic stability and environmental sustainability in the region.

The Impact on Climate Change

In another dimension, the influence of overfishing on climate change must also be acknowledged. Climate change impacts not only coastal communities but the world population, leaving the ocean the ‘lungs of our planet’. This proves to be the case, as it ‘generates 50% of the oxygen we need, absorbs 25% of all carbon dioxide emissions and captures 90% of the excess heat generated by these emissions’. In particular, the higher the quantity of fish in our oceans, the more carbon sequestration occurs. Overfishing affects the ocean's health by depleting its fish stocks, thereby destabilizing the ecological equilibrium. This, however, is necessary to hold up the oceans' functions to counter climate change. The ocean’s ecosystem is complex and dependent on interactions between divergent species. Hence, the climate and biodiversity crises are not parallel issues but intertwined, which can only be tackled in tandem. Moreover, the increasing global average temperature induces a sea-level rise, as for instance felt by the fishing community in Ghana with 33 mm per year. This coastline erosion creates a loss of coastline. Climate change induced local crises also stipulate a common reason to emigrate from Western Africa. Examples there of are heavy rainfalls, flooding, and drought.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the protection of West African fisheries presents both a pressing challenge and an opportunity for collaboration between the EU and local communities. A shift in focus is needed, one that prioritizes local needs, sustainable practices, and youth empowerment. By working together, the EU and West Africa can build a more equitable, prosperous, and sustainable future for coastal communities.

About the Author:

Anna Kitz holds an LLM in Public International Law from the University of Amsterdam and an LLB in International and European Law from the University of Groningen. She chose to study law due to her passion for addressing environmental and humanitarian crises, hoping to apply a legal perspective to such issues. Her interest in global justice led her to participate in various volunteering projects in Latin America. In her research, she focuses on how economic policies impact the well-being of local communities.

This article is part of the IOM Blog Series: Youth Voices on Migration, Environment and Climate Change