The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020

Fisheries and aquaculture governance and 
seafood value chain performance in West Africa:
African coastal waters contain some of the 
richest fisheries in the world and have great 
potential for aquaculture development, as 
demonstrated by the spectacular aquaculture 
growth in Egypt, where production reached 
a record of 1 561 500 tonnes in 2018, almost 
triple that of 476 000 tonnes in 2007. In West 
Africa, up to one-quarter of jobs are linked to 
fisheries, and the sector contributes essential 
protein and micronutrients to national diets. 
Up to two-thirds of all animal protein in 
coastal West African States come from fish 
and seafood. Artisanal fishers are linked 
to consumers through a vast intraregional 
trading network, of fresh, salted, dried or 
smoked fish, in which women play a central 
role. However, sub-Saharan African fisheries 
and aquaculture are characterized by weak 
governance and limited capacity of institutions 
to drive the necessary changes for sustainable 
growth. Resource users feel marginalized 
from the decision-making process and lack 
social protection and incentives to comply with 
conservation and management measures. 
The Coastal Fisheries Initiative is a project 
funded by the Global Environment Facility 
and implemented by FAO in Cabo Verde, Côte 
d’Ivoire and Senegal in collaboration with 
the United Nations Environment Programme 
and the respective national administrations. 
It provides technical assistance to stakeholders 
to improve fisheries governance and 
management and value-chain performance 
through implementation of the ecosystem 
approach to fisheries and other relevant 
guidelines of the Code. The project pays