Marine fish resources are abundant in Mauritanian waters, with almost 600 species of fish that have been inventoried, according to the FAO © Ben Khatry
The Global Roundtable on Marine Ingredients (GRT) has released a report detailing the urgent need for West Africa to move away from raw fish exports and towards value-added processing and regional cooperation to safeguard small pelagic fish stocks and enhance food security.
The report on the workshop Transforming the Small Pelagic Fish Value Chain in West Africa: Maximising the Value of the Catch summarises the outcomes of the event held in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on 10–11 July 2025.
Co-organised by the GRT, the Mauritanian Institute for Oceanographic and Fisheries Research (IMROP) and the Mauritanian Small Pelagics Fishery Improvement Project (FIP), the event gathered 60 participants. Attendees included representatives from local communities, governments, international organisations, the private sector, research institutions and civil society across the sub-region.
The workshop's goal was to deepen understanding of the socio-economic dynamics of small pelagic species and identify pathways to improve their contribution to food security and livelihoods.
A critical need for regional action
The newly released report provides a comprehensive summary of the presentations, discussions and conclusions. It highlights the urgent need to shift from a model focused on raw material exports to one that prioritises value-added transformation and regional cooperation.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Árni M. Mathiesen, independent chair of GRT, underscored the global importance of the discussions:
“Aquatic foods, with their high nutritional value and low environmental footprint, play a vital role in addressing the challenge of food security for a global population exceeding 8 billion. The West African sub-region faces declining fish stocks due to overfishing and climate change, alongside economic competition and shifting consumer preferences. Without strengthened regional institutional cooperation, we will face enormous difficulties.”
Data from the Fisheries Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) indicates five stocks are overexploited and four are fully exploited. Climate change is intensifying these pressures, evidenced by the 2023 Nansen campaign, which recorded abnormally high temperatures and the absence of sardines south of Cap Blanc.
“Faced with these challenges, scientific and regional management of migratory stocks is essential. The implementation of management plans, investment in data monitoring and the promotion of the ecosystem approach to fisheries appear to be priorities. Finally, the sustainable development of fishmeal and fish oil industries must be reconciled with West African food security,” noted Cheikh Baye Braham, chair of the CECAF-North and scientist at IMROP.
Key recommendations
Participants engaged in focused group discussions and delivered four sets of recommendations:
- Fisheries Data Systems: Recommendations included strengthening data collection at processing plants, improving regional coordination and establishing a sub-regional observatory for small pelagics.
- Regional Regulatory Alignment: Participants called for harmonised management measures, enhanced cooperation through regional fisheries bodies and fiscal incentives to promote more responsible practices.
- Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs): The group proposed inclusive governance frameworks and regional forums to support bilateral and multilateral collaboration.
- Promoting Direct Human Consumption: Recommendations focused on improving infrastructure, diversifying processing methods, supporting artisanal transformation and launching targeted awareness campaigns.
The report concludes that small pelagics are not only part of the future, but also of the past and present, as a resource of high nutritional value and a source of employment. It calls for coordinated regional governance, improved infrastructure and targeted public policies to promote direct human consumption of small pelagic fish.
