U. R. Sumaila and J. Alder

UBC Fisheries Centre

Vancouver, Canada

Marine Fisheries, Ecosystems and Societies in West Africa:

Half a Century of Change

27 June 2002, Dakar, Senegal

Changing markets for West African fish and fish products: some economic and social

consequences

West African sub-regions

West African landings by species group

West African landings by sub-region

West African total landed value by species group

West African total landed value by sub-region

Cephalopods Crustaceans Demersals Pelagics

MOR 65 10 7 4

NWA - 9 9 10

GoG - 11 3 6

C-A 15 439 2 1

BEN 29 0 4 1

Relative landed value by sub-region (1990s / 1960s)

Fishing agreements between West Africa and the rest of the world

100,000 t

Fishing agreements between West Africa and the rest of the world

100,000 t

Fishing agreements between West Africa and the rest of the world

100,000 t

Fishing agreements between West Africa and the rest of the world

100,000 t

Fraction of the catch value taken from West African waters by fleets from different regions of the world

1960s 1970s 1980s 1990sSoviet bloc 0.14 0.38 0.37 0.24EU 0.11 0.15 0.15 0.12Asia 0.10 0.03 0.03 0.03West Africa 0.65 0.44 0.45 0.61

Region

Imports (red) & Exports (blue) in million t.

Imports (red) & Exports (blue) in million US $.

Domestic fish supply and human population in West Africa

Per caput fish supply in West Africa, by sub-region

Summary

• The catch and landed value of the fish off West African coasts has increased since the 1960s;

• This has resulted in strong decline of their biomass (recall earlier contribution by V. Christensen);

Summary cont’d

• There has been a significant increase in fishing agreements with the rest of the world, especially, the former Soviet bloc, the EU and some Asian countries;

• In the 1960s, about 35% of catch value was taken by foreign fleets. This increased to 55% in the 1970s, then dropped to 40% in 1990s, due to the breakup of the Soviet Union, and the emergence of joint ventures;

Summary cont’d• The region turned from a net exporter of fish (in the

1960s) to a net importer in the 1990s (an unfortunate use of scarce foreign exchange);

• The region started experiencing declines in per caput fish supply;

• Market and trade: good?;

• Comparative advantage arguments;• This argument is difficult to support here;

– Fluharty: an equal partnership;

– No trickle down effect: no fish, no $ !!!

What to do?To solve their fishery problems, West African

countries will have to decide whether their priority should be:

(a) Managing their fishery resources so as to meet the food security needs of their populations, while bettering their quality of life, or

(b) Chasing foreign exchange whose benefits do not reach the part of their populations that need them most.

The Sea Around Us project is a UBC Fisheries Centre Partnership with the Pew Charitable Trusts of Philadelphia, USA

Acknowledgements