Accra: Professor Edem Mahu of the Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences at the University of Ghana has raised concerns about the ongoing threat posed by illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing to food security, marine biodiversity, maritime governance, and scientific research across Africa and the Gulf of Guinea. Prof Mahu described IUU fishing as a crisis impacting economic, ecological, and governance aspects, weakening fisheries management systems and sustainable ocean governance.
According to Ghana News Agency, Prof Mahu highlighted these issues during her presentation at the Maritime Action Platform Seminar in Accra. Her presentation, titled 'When Vessels Go Dark: How IUU Fishing Weakens Science, Maritime Security and Governance', outlined how illegal fishing activities violate regulations, while unreported fishing involves activities not declared or falsely reported to authorities. She explained that unregulated fishing occurs in areas lacking proper conservation or regulatory measures.
Prof Mahu provided alarming statistics, revealing that IUU fishing globally accounts for an estimated 11 to 26 million tonnes of catch annually, with economic losses ranging from 10 to 23.5 billion US dollars each year. In Africa alone, losses reach between seven and 11 billion dollars annually, threatening food security for over 200 million people who depend on fish as a primary food source.
The professor noted that many vessels engaged in illegal fishing disable Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) and Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) to evade detection, leading to significant data gaps in fisheries monitoring. This practice hampers stock assessments, biodiversity mapping, habitat monitoring, and climate research, resulting in underestimations of fishing pressure and misleading assumptions about ecosystem recovery and conservation success.
Additionally, Prof Mahu pointed out that IUU fishing undermines maritime security by reducing visibility at sea, facilitating transnational crimes, eroding state authority, and increasing instability within maritime zones. She emphasized the necessity for stronger regional cooperation, improved fisheries governance, and transparent data systems to tackle illegal fishing in Africa.
Prof Mahu advocated for locally owned systems in West Africa that connect fisheries institutions, navies, ports authorities, scientists, and policymakers to enhance monitoring and enforcement operations. She also recommended utilizing satellite systems, radar technologies, AIS, VMS, and regional information-sharing platforms to bolster surveillance and enforcement against illegal fishing activities.
In conclusion, Prof Mahu stressed that combating IUU fishing in Africa requires coordinated enforcement, robust governance, transparent data systems, regional cooperation, and community engagement.