THE ROLE OF WILD-CAUGHT FISHERIES IN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT MAY 2018 THE ROLE OF WILD-CAUGHT FISHERIES IN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT INFORMATION This work is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development through the contract number AID-OAA-I-14-00014/AID-OAA-TO-15-00020 for the Biodiversity Results Integrated and Development Gains Enhanced (BRIDGE) project. BRIDGE is funded and managed by the USAID Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment/Ofce of Forestry and Biodiversity. DISCLAIMER The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily refect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. FRONT COVER: GHANA – 2010: A fishmonger preparing fish for smoking. Photo by Glenn G. Page, SustainaMetrix for USAID INTRODUCTION The 2016 Global Food Security Act calls for the U.S. Government to develop and implement a comprehensive, strategic approach to achieve global food security and nutrition, and promote inclusive, sustainable and resilient development. This multi-objective approach should focus on small-scale producers, including fshers, farmers, pastoralists and foresters. Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative, has primarily focused on terrestrial crops and aquaculture (i.e., fsh farming), rather than fshing and fsheries (i.e., harvesting of wild-caught fsh). Given the Act’s mandate for a more comprehensive approach, what is the role of fshing and wild-caught fsheries in achieving global food security and nutrition goals? How can the lessons learned from farming reforms and other strategies through Feed the Future be successfully applied to fsheries management? To address these questions, the U.S. Agency for • Efective ways to improve governance and International Development’s (USAID) Food Security management of wild fsheries, particularly the role and Biodiversity Integration Working Group of nutrition-sensitive national fshing policies and local commissioned a research study.1 As a frst step, governance; the research team conducted interviews with key • The comparative advantages and disadvantages of technical staf at USAID’s Bureau for Food Security, wild-caught fsheries and aquaculture projects; the Ofce of Food for Peace, the Bureau for Global Health and the Bureau for Democracy, Confict • How lessons learned from Feed the Future can be and Humanitarian Assistance to better understand applied to improve wild fsheries management and their knowledge and perceptions of wild-caught enhance productivity; and fsheries and the contributions of these fsheries • Information on successful wild-caught fsheries projects to development. The interviews also helped clarify and implementation approaches. how lessons learned from Feed the Future could be applied to improve wild fsheries management. This report summarizes the evidence base related to these key areas of interest. The report specifcally Through these interviews, the research team focuses on small-scale fsheries in East and West Africa identifed the following key areas of interest and due to their critical role in supporting food security, knowledge gaps related to wild-caught fsheries resilience and nutrition in these regions. This report management as a development strategy at USAID: then presents opportunities and recommendations • The linkages between wild-caught fsheries and for intervening in wild-caught fsheries management poverty reduction, income, nutrition and resilience; to improve the livelihoods and food security of the hundreds of millions of people who depend • The potential links between coastal fsheries and the on wild fsh for nourishment and income. food security and nutrition of inland communities where Feed the Future often works (i.e., the zones of infuence); 1 This research study was supported by USAID’s Ofce of Forestry and Biodiversity and conducted by the Biodiversity Results and Integrated Development Gains Enhanced (BRIDGE) project. The Smithsonian Institution, a BRIDGE partner, helped conduct this study. 1 • In Africa, marine and KEY FINDINGS freshwater fsheries employ 93% of people in the fsh production sector, and aquaculture employs the remaining 7%. The 2016 Global Food Security Act recognizes the • Women make up importance of strengthening agricultural systems, approximately 50% of fsh including wild-caught fsheries, and sustainably industry workers, with 90% of them engaged in post- intensifying their productivity in meeting its goals. Fish harvest activities. is the primary source of animal protein for almost one • Fish is a signifcant contributor billion people globally, many of whom live at or below to total animal protein intake in INTRODUCTIONthe poverty line and face chronic food insecurity. many African countries such as Ghana (63%), Senegal (44%), Fish, particularly when eaten whole, is a signifcant the Gambia (49%) and Sierra source of essential vitamins, minerals and fats and Leone (70%). an important complement to the carbohydrate-rich • The World Bank estimates that poor management of diets of many of the world’s poor. In many developing wild-caught fsheries leads countries, fsh is among the cheapest and most to $83 billion in lost economic benefts globally accessible sources of protein and a preferred part of and $10 billion in Africa traditional diets. Furthermore, marine and freshwater each year. fsheries are estimated to employ more than 320 million people globally (Teh and Sumaila 2013, Bartley et al. 2015). This review of the current evidence base on the role of wild-caught fsheries in Africa identifed five main findings: Wild-caught fisheries support livelihoods for millions of people and well-managed fisheries can alleviate poverty and strengthen resilience in many African countries; Fish is a highly nutritious food that contributes to food security and nutrition for over 400 million Africans in both coastal and inland areas; Wild-caught fisheries are at risk of decline, decreased productivity and collapse due to poor management, with serious implications for development outcomes in Africa; There is an urgent need to reform and strengthen wild-caught fisheries management; and USAID has the tools, experience and knowledge to do so. 2 As with farming systems, proper management of both food security by helping priority countries improve small-scale and industrial-scale wild-caught fsheries is their agricultural sectors so they can produce enough key to maintaining and increasing their productivity. food to sustainably feed their populations. There is an When well-managed, wild-caught fsheries can play opportunity to apply the lessons from these terrestrial a critical role in food security, nutrition and poverty successes to wild-caught fsheries while positioning reduction in Africa and are an integral part of rural Feed the Future to be an international leader in development and equitable resource use. For example, comprehensive global food security. With adequate over 90 percent of the catch from small-scale fsheries management approaches and investment, the natural is destined for domestic consumption, contributing productivity of wild-caught fsheries can be enhanced, directly to local food supplies (FAO 2015). leading to larger fsh populations and increased catches, higher proftability and improved human well-being. Since its launch in 2010, USAID’s Feed the Future initiative has made key advances in improving global GHANA – 2011: Fishing port of Tema. Photo by A. Kauffeld, USAID 3 FACTS ABOUT WILD-CAUGHT 5 FISHERIES & AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BUREAU FOR CENTER FOR BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, OFFICE OF FOOD OFFICE OF FORESTRY FOOD SECURITY RESILIENCE GLOBAL HEALTH HUMAN RIGHTS AND FOR PEACE & BIODIVERSITY (FAB) GOVERNANCE OFFICE Staff from these USAID operating units asked… ...and the FAB Office found… Fisheries support How do fisheries 1 up to 20% of jobs contribute to 20% in some countries. poverty reduction, 50% income and Women make up resilience? 50% of fish industry workers. What is the role of fisheries in 2 For 400 MILLION We are rich in food security Africans, fish is an affordable and micronutrients!!! and nutrition? accessible source of protein. INLAND COMMUNITIES use coastal and lake fishthrough established trade routes. What are the risks …while risk of fisheries from poor fisheries 3 $10 BILLION collapse and job loss governance and in revenues are lost annually increases without adequate management? in Africa…. management. What should future In Africa, wild fisheries Both sectors Fishing investments focus 4 employ 93% of need better is too on – improving wild- 93% management, workers in the fish to caught fisheries or sector, aquaculture but... Big aquaculture? employs 7%. Ignore. What lessons Successful Feed the Future strategies can be from Feed the 5 adapted such as… Future can be promote secure tenure for fishing grounds applied to fisheries strengthen fishing associations management? provide training and extension services What are examples Check out of successful fisheries FINDING 5 projects and approaches? to learn about 9 strategies and 4 examples of successful fisheries management. • The wild-caught fsheries FINDING : sector employs an estimated 1 20% of the workforce in WILD-CAUGHT FISHERIES ARE CRITICAL FOR Senegal. LIVELIHOODS, ALLEVIATING POVERTY AND • In West Africa, the number of STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE people relying on wild-caught fsheries for food security and livelihoods has increased by approximately