Increasing the contribution of Africa’s fisheries to food security through improved management

Abstract

Africa is the poorest continent, with the fastest population growth, the most acute food shortages, and overfishing. Meeting rising food demand while preserving sustainable production is challenging. We evaluated the full fishery supply chain over the previous 70 years in search of sustainable growth paths, from fish resource status and fishery production to trade and human consumption. Our data show that Africa had the lowest per capita fish consumption of any continent in 2017, with international imports accounting for 35% of this low fish consumption. Meanwhile, foreign vessels fish legally or illegally in African waters, landing 3.1 million tonnes of fish outside of Africa each year. Current fishing practises have resulted in 40% of fish populations being overexploited, causing a loss of 2 million tonnes of fish production per year. Improved management can reduce non-trade fish outflows from foreign vessels fishing and restore overfished stocks to maximum sustainable levels, increasing Africa's fish consumption by 42% and the commercial value of marine fisheries by 53%. Aside from food supply and economic benefits, there are also various social and environmental benefits including job opportunities, support for local livelihoods, and environmental health. These findings can help inform policy and the development of long-term sustainable solutions to challenges in Africa such as overfishing, low fish consumption, hunger, and poverty.