Leaflet
The SADC MCSCC: Working towards a common future
Over two decades of regional commitment to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated(IUU) fishing in the Southern African Development Community(SADC) region and to protecting our fisheries.
What is at stake?
- 2.6 million tonnes of fish are produced annually
- Contributing 2 per cent to the SADC GDP
- Generating USD 152 million worth of exports
- Employing 145,000 and providing benefits for over one million people
- Providing 11 kg of fish per person each year, contributing to nutritional security
Why does it matter?
While the economic losses to IUU fishing are hard to estimate, figures have put annual global losses as high as USD 23.5 billion. Illegal operators are driven by money, and key hotspots for their operations include the Indian and Atlantic Oceans bordering Southern Africa. The effects of illegal fishing can be severe, particularly for coastal States facing diverse development challenges.
The losses to coastal communities dependent on fish as a source of nutrition, employment and income are well documented as fishers report dwindling catches, incursions of industrial vessels into restricted areas and deliberate damage to their vessels and gear.
IUU fishing contributes to over exploitation of natural fisheries resources and has negative impacts on efforts to rebuild already depleted fish populations and damaged ecosystems. Action is needed now to protect ocean health, biodiversity, and fisheries resources to ensure that fisheries continue to provide food and nutrition, livelihood and financial benefits for SADC citizens.
With population growth expected to lead to a global population of 9.8 billion in 2050, and with much of this increase coming from African countries, the need to protect our fisheries resources has never been greater.
Large scale illegal fishing is very often systematic, organised and transnational and can go hand in hand with other criminal activity. This is either because
the illegal activity is related to the business of fishing (e.g. tax evasion,
money laundering) or because those involved are linked to other activities of transnational organised crime such as drug smuggling, human trafficking or trade in illegal wildlife products which is intertwined with fishing operations.
As expectations of blue growth place new pressure on the marine environment, it is important to remember that a thriving and sustainable blue economy assumes a compliant marine and fisheries sector. If it is not, the concept of blue growth will fail, not contribute to national or regional growth and may even become self-destructive.