Abstract:

Freshwater and marine aquatic ecosystems contribute to economic growth, national GDPs, livelihood sustenance, food security, and poverty alleviation in the five regions of the African continent. However, a key challenge of the sector includes inadequate governance at national and regional levels associated with insufficient data for evidence-based decision-making. Thus, there was a need for the development of appropriate mechanisms for access to quality information products on African fisheries and aquaculture by the African Union (AU) stakeholders.
To address this gap, the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), contracted the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) to “commission studies on identification of sources of fisheries, aquaculture, socio-economics and environmental related data (research and statistics) in the East and Southern Regions of Africa''. The major expected output from this assignment was a comprehensive technical report on the sources of fisheries, aquaculture, socio-economics, and environmental related data (research and statistics) in East and Southern Africa regions as well as mechanisms for regular updating.
NaFIRRI undertook an extensive review of AU policies and strategies, identified relevant data sources and gaps, and developed mechanisms for access, use, sharing, and updating. Four major approaches for improved fisheries and aquaculture management identified included the ecosystem Approach, Transboundary, Blue economy, the Nile Basin Initiative, and Marine and Lacustrine Protected areas. The key data sources were in country Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) responsible for fisheries and aquaculture management and development, research institutions, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, the World Bank, and World fish centre. These datasets mainly included annual fish catches, fishing efforts, aquaculture production, imports and export records, and occasionally recreational fishing. The key gaps identified included limited socioeconomic and environmental data from the AU-MS and data gaps in the trend in data availability. In addition, online access to the available data was mainly difficult for Zimbabwe. These should be improved by the development of standardized regional databases, mobilization of scientists and stakeholders into regional working groups, development and adoption of customized online electronic data collection infrastructure, strengthening partnerships and collaboration, organizing periodic regional, continental, and international symposia, and capacity building for resource users. In conclusion, regular data collection and updates in the fisheries, and environment, at national and regional levels in Africa will be successful once there are harmonised strategies and tools for all the African Union Member States.