EJF’s latest film Illegal Fishing in African Waters, produced for the Partnership for African Fisheries (PAF), has been shown at the first-ever Conference of African Union Fisheries Ministers, driving awareness and action.

The Conference of African Ministers for Fisheries and Aquaculture (CAMFA) took place this week in the Gambian capital, Banjul, calling for robust strategies and policies to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. EJF produced a film specifically for the event, highlighting the extent and impacts of IUU fishing to Ministers and officials from around Africa.

Fish provides crucial source of both income and food security to many Africa countries. Hundreds of thousands of people derive all or part of their livelihoods from fisheries, and around 200 million Africans eat fish; in many regions it is the main source of animal protein.

Set against the benefits are the two major threats to the African fisheries: it is estimated that Africa may be losing the potential to harvest some US$2 to 5billion of economic return every year as direct outcome of fisheries mismanagement, while IUU fishing is stealing fish valued at some $1billion from the waters of Sub-Saharan Africa every year.

In collaboration with the Stop Illegal Fishing and Partnership for African Fisheries programmes, EJF is working to raise awareness and drive action by Governments and the international community to address the devastating environmental, social and economic effects of IUU fishing throughout the continent.