Abstract:

This report presents outcomes of a study conducted by the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI), Uganda on behalf of the African Union – Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR). The study aimed to foster the adoption and implementation of Knowledge, Innovations, and Best Practices from previous projects (FishGov1 and Fish Trade) to guide policy reforms in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture across African Union Member States (AU-MS).
The study focused on three key objectives:
1. Conducting a comprehensive review of outputs from FishGOV1 and Fish Trade projects to informing policy change.
2. Developing mechanisms to enhance the uptake of knowledge, innovations, and best practices at national and regional levels.
3. Organizing validation workshops to review and endorse the study's outcomes.

Key Recommendations:
a)    Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS): Implement national and regional MCS mechanisms based on the issue of currently authorized vessels and advocating for a regional approach to encourage the establishment of coordination units.
b)    Ecolabeling and Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIP): Support pilot projects at various scales, emphasizing the need for streamlined mandates among institutions to prevent overlap and duplication.
c)    Fisheries Management in Shared Waters: Promote participatory processes and ensuring stakeholder involvement for robust management plans. Introduce new control technologies to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
d)    Regional Cooperation: Strengthen South-South cooperation and establish coordination mechanisms among regional bodies, ensuring policy coherence and collaboration with data centers.
e)    Holistic Aquaculture Development: Develop holistic policies encompassing environmental management, environmental assessment procedures, waste disposal guidelines, and regulations for fish farms. Prioritize adherence to regional aquatic animal biosecurity frameworks.
f)    Standardization: Develop standards and a code of practice for fish handling, processing, and distribution across the continent.
g)    Gender Inclusivity: Conduct a gender analysis on ornamental fisheries and devise interventions to encourage the active participation of women and youths.

In conclusion, effective fisheries management and aquaculture development in Africa necessitates a comprehensive approach addressing the aforementioned thematic areas at both national and regional levels. The endorsement and implementation of these recommendations are expected to contribute significantly to sustainable practices, governance, and conservation efforts in the sector.