Dec 28, 2015 | News
The Gambian President calls for better fishing agreements
By Denis Jjuuko, 23/09/2010, Banjul, The Gambia - The president of The Gambia, His Excellency Alhaji Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh has demanded that international trade in fish and fishery products should be fair and equitable so as to guarantee its sustainability and its contribution to food security and economic growth.
The Gambian leader made the remarks in a statement read on his behalf by the Vice President, Her Excellency Ajaratou Isatou Nüe-Saidy at the ongoing first Conference of African Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture (CAMFA) in Banjul.
“The present generation of fishing agreements is unfair, inequitable and consequently of little benefit to coastal states that own these invaluable God-Given natural resources,” he told the delegates from over 40 African countries. “As a continent, Africa should come together to demand access agreements that contribute to the sustainable development of the sector and to the improvement of the lives of our people.”
He said that the same applies to trade - adding that there should not be hidden barriers to trade which limit the consumer’s freedom of choice of supplier, or those that restrict market access. “There is a need for states dealing with Africa and wishing to introduce changes in the legal or regulatory requirements that affect fish trade, to give sufficient information and reasonable notice to allow us the producers that are affected to adjust to the changes.” He added that consultations between trading nations on timeframes to implement new trading, access and regulatory changes would be most desirable.
President Jammeh highlighted the challenges facing the sector such as the lack of requisite infrastructure needed to promote value addition as well as a fair balance between artisanal and industrial fisheries. “Fish is also a resource that continues to be threatened with decline in stock, from a combination of factors, including over-fishing aggravated by the indiscriminate or inappropriate use of fishing methods that destroy juvenile fish and fish survival, and poaching carried out by unlicensed vessels often from countries outside the continent,” he said.
Indeed, the issue of illegal fishing has been a major issue of discussion at the conference as Africa is said to lose at least US$1 billion every year in lost revenue. “Illegal fishing is removing fish valued at some US$1 billion from the waters of Sub-Saharan Africa every year,” says Tim Bostock, the Fisheries Advisor at the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).
Fisheries resources currently provide significant benefits to Africa, including livelihoods to about 10 million people, nutrition and food security to over thirty percent of the population. These benefits are now severely threatened by ineffective fisheries governance, resulting in fisheries being over-exploited economically and often well beyond biologically sustainable limits. Global mismanagement, illegal fishing and ill-used subsidies amount to $100 billion every year in the fishing industry – and Africa contributes to this loss.
In addition, aquaculture production has not made much progress resulting in Africa being the only region in the world with the lowest level of productivity. Yet, Africa could gain substantially by improving fishery regulations, which will enhance the inherent wealth of this valuable and renewable natural asset.
Change is, therefore, required, which will ensure that Africa continues to benefit from her fishery resources and lead to significantly greater returns that stimulate economic growth and provide pathways out of poverty across the continent. This essential change, is the main reason the African Union decided to host its first-ever conference of Ministers of fisheries and aquaculture in the Gambia. This conference is being held five years after the August 2005 Abuja Fish For All African Heads of States and Government Summit Declaration that promoted a positive and pragmatic approach to developing the fishery sector. This approach involves public, private and NGO sector interests, with good resource management and sound investment.