Fishing and fish farming in Africa must increase – new report

African societies are steadily increasing their fish consumption, an activity that is good for health. To meet the growing demand, however, fishing and fish farming must increase by as much as 74 percent by 2050. Industry experts are wondering how to reconcile civilization’s growth with the sustainability of fishing and aquaculture.

Fishing and fish farming in Africa – new report

The 15th meeting of the Malabo Montpellier Forum, an African platform for supporting innovation in the agri-food sector, was held at the end of January 2025. During it, a new report titled Fish Friendly: policy innovations for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in Africa was presented. The document analyzes trends in fish consumption and production, while formulating proposals for interventions to help confront the growing pressures of civilization. The conclusions and suggestions were developed based on the experiences of four African countries: Ghana, Malawi, Morocco and Mozambique.

The report focuses not only on meeting domestic demand, but also on Africa’s export potential – profits from exports of fish and fish products increased from $2.7 billion to $8 billion between 2000 and 2022. According to the authors, individual countries can effectively reduce the growing food deficit while supporting economic development on the continent. The key to success is expected to be innovation at the institutional and strategic levels.

Fishing and fish farming in Africa – statistical data

Africa has more than 600 lakes, 7 major rivers measuring more than 2,000 km, plus many smaller rivers and vast areas of wetlands. The coastline along the Indian and Atlantic Oceans measures 30,000 kilometers, with as much as 13 million square ^kilometers of territorial waters along it and around the islands. The abundant water resources translate into enormous potential – in 2000, fish production from natural fisheries and farming amounted to 137.8 million metric tons, and by 2022 it will already be 223 million metric tons.

FAO data cited in the report shows that while global production from aquaculture tripled between 2000 and 2022, in Africa the increase was more than fivefold. The undisputed leader is Egypt, where as much as 62 percent of the supply comes from. Second in the ranking is Nigeria with 10 percent. Despite this impressive growth, aquaculture in Africa accounts for only 2 percent of global fish and shellfish farming and is underdeveloped compared to Europe, Asia or the Americas, suggesting huge economic potential.

Africa’s fishery yields increased from 7 million to 10 million tons, or 52 percent, between 2000 and 2022, although there has been a downward trend globally over the period due to the crisis in marine fisheries. In total, Africa’s fish production (from fisheries and aquaculture) accounts for just 6 percent of global supply. In doing so, the sector provides employment for 6.1 million people, 86 percent of whom work on fish farms.

Challenges facing the African fishing industry

In 2021. The average annual per capita consumption of fish in Africa was 9.4 kg – a marked increase from 7.6 kg in 2000. In total, fish and fish products are estimated to account for 18 percent of meat protein in the diet of African societies, demonstrating their importance for food security. Increased consumption, while welcome for health reasons, is a challenge in the context of intense demographic development. The report’s authors point out that not only is the population growing, but also its income, which entails a natural change in diet. As a result, in order to maintain the current level of per capita consumption, fish production will have to increase by another 74 percent by 2050.

The realization of this goal is all the more difficult because in many African countries the predatory practice of overfishing is practiced, and the state of resources is negatively affected by pollution and environmental degradation, as well as climate change, including drought in particular. Another challenge is to improve the processing process – fish spoil very quickly, and without proper technology, tons of valuable products regularly go to waste. Processing technology also determines the amount of waste, which can range from 30 to as much as 70 percent of the total weight.

Good practices in the African fish sector

The report summarizes innovations for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development at the strategic and institutional levels introduced in four African countries. In Ghana, for example, a Fisheries Act was introduced to combat illegal fishing and other aquatic environmentally undesirable practices. In response to a growing domestic deficit, the authorities have also decided to expand farmed fish production from 132,000. t in 2022. up to 175,000. t. 2027.

In Malawi, where 20 percent of the country’s land area is water, annual per capita fish consumption is 10 kg, higher than the African average. Catches increased by 67 percent between 2013 and 2022, and farmed fish production by as much as 93 percent, the latter helped by the operation of the National Aquaculture Center, which works on genetic improvement of farmed species, as well as a wide range of government investments in large fish farms. The authorities have also invested in the construction of dams and provided funds for the establishment of local government fish ponds. Strategy Malawi 2063 It also envisions the implementation of a number of initiatives to support the development of the sector as a whole, including a public-private project at Chipoka Port that will offer fishermen docks, repair shops, and product storage, processing and packaging services.

Morocco has also experienced dynamic growth in marine fish catches over the past two decades, from 910,000. t. to 1.6 million tons in 2022. However, in order to diversify and ensure food security for the public, the government is currently supporting the development of aquaculture in eight coastal regions. One of the key measures in this regard has been the opening of the country’s first marine fish hatchery, where some 30 million seabass and sea bass are produced annually.

In 2023. A state-of-the-art fish feed factory has also been established. These efforts are important because Morocco, with an annual per capita fish consumption of 18.7 kg, ranks 14th in the world. So far, demand has been met mainly by sea fishing, plus there is still enough fish for exports, which in 2022 reached $3 billion and accounted for 7 percent of the country’s total exports.

Marine fisheries and aquaculture provide as much as 50 percent of daily protein consumption in Mozambique, a country with a coastline of 2,700 kilometers. Annual growth in marine production here reached as much as 12 percent in 2022, and also noteworthy is the huge involvement of women, who make up more than half of the population employed in fish processing and farming. Over the past two decades, the country has seen the establishment of several institutes dedicated to, among other things, resource research, farm sanitation and the promotion of sustainable development.

In addition, the aquaculture development strategy for 2020-2030 includes supporting private investment, increasing market access for farmers and developing training programs. Mozambique has also developed a special fund to support small-scale fishermen, a result of cooperation with the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), among others.

Lessons for the future

A report by the Malabo Montpellier Forum points to the need to implement a four-part action plan to boost the capacity of Africa’s fisheries and aquaculture sector. The authors suggest focusing on:

• improving infrastructure and technology;
• support for owners of small fish farms;
• Increase funding for research;
• Supporting regional cooperation.

Among the report’s recommendations were the need to proactively combat illegal and unregulated fishing in an integrated manner and to implement aquatic conservation strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change.

pic. main: Ato Aikins / Unsplash