The Committee for Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture of Africa is holding its 20th session from 23 to 25 September 2024 in Dakar, Senegal to discuss the sector's future. CIFAA20 is focusing on sustainable development, investment, and key challenges. The session on inland capture fisheries and aquaculture in Africa is focusing on sustainable practices and technological advancements to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities. The session, hosted by the FAO Regional Office for Africa and the Government of Senegal, aims to advance aquaculture in Africa and facilitate knowledge exchange, policy alignment, and sustainable practices.
Delvis Fortes, Senior Fisheries Officer, AU-IBAR, who spoke on behalf of AU-IBAR’s Director, Dr. Huyam Salih noted that the African Union's Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa (PFRS) is based on the same principles as FAO's Global Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines (GSA). The PFRS, endorsed by the African Union Heads and Government in 2014, aims to transform Africa's fisheries and aquaculture sector into a sustainable, resilient, and equitably managed sector. The African Fisheries Reform Mechanism ensures coherence and long-term sustainability, focusing on subsidiarity, regional integration, and equitable public and non-state actors. The PFRS will be implemented in the next decade.
Vera Agostini, Deputy Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division at FAO presented the Review of the State of the World Fishery Resources: Inland Fisheries, a co-publishing partnership between FAO and the African Development Bank. The report provides an overview of inland fisheries, production levels, types, and geographic distribution, and suggests ways to improve information quality and management. Global inland capture fisheries produced 11.4 million tons in 2021, representing over 12% of worldwide production.
The objective of CIFAA, which has been around since 1971 and is one of the long-standing Regional Fisheries Commissions of the FAO, is to promote sustainable fisheries and increase collaboration among African nations. Inland fisheries and aquaculture teaching and training, research promotion, regulatory action, damage prevention, and assistance for fish culture are all responsibilities of the Committee.
