West Africa Case Study

In West Africa, we examine whether and how resolving illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing in the Gulf of Guinea would enhance the resilience of marine ecosystem services for sustainable livelihoods under climate change.

Overview

The West Africa case study focuses on the Gulf of Guinea (Ghana and Nigeria). Fish consumption and production trends, and the pressures on coastal communities, are central to understanding the food–climate–biodiversity nexus in the region.

FAO data of fish consumption in Ghana 1961–2017

Figure 1: FAO data of fish consumption in Ghana from 1961–2017.

The factors leading to a decrease in overall fish production are complex. They include:

IUU (illegal, unregulated and unreported) fishing
Over-capitalization of small fishing vessels such as canoes
Destructive methods such as dynamite, poisons and bottom trawling—in Ghana the practice of industrial vessels discarding bycatch to canoes at sea is known as Saiko
Other pressures including tidal waves, trawlers, and fishing in mangroves
Poor management of fisheries and inadequate governmental regulations

These factors make it harder for coastal communities to adapt. They cannot reconcile the loss of fish production with the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss. Destructive practices (dynamite, poisons, bottom trawling) damage the sea floor and disrupt the marine ecosystem, leading to declining fish production and depleted stocks. Climate-related obstacles such as tidal waves further affect coastal communities. Depleting fish stocks also push fishers into mangrove areas, with further loss of biodiversity.

Solving-FCB is working with local researchers to better understand local ecosystems and to explore policies and human actions that can support food security, climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation goals.

School of fish