West Africa intensifies action against illegal fishing as annual losses reach US$2.3B
New regional operations and agreements expand cooperation between states and maritime actors
WEST AFRICA – Illegal fishing in West Africa is estimated to account for as much as 40% of total catches, with annual economic losses put at more than US$2.3 billion.
The scale of the losses has continued to raise concerns over declining fish stocks and the resulting pressure on food security across coastal communities in the region.
In the first half of 2026, governments, civil society groups and maritime agencies increased coordinated actions aimed at addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities.
A key development came with the adoption of the Dakar Declaration against IUU fishing in February 2026, led by maritime unions, fishing organisations and civil society actors.
The declaration, supported by groups including the International Transport Workers’ Federation and Greenpeace Africa, calls for stronger regional coordination, shared monitoring systems and full enforcement of international fisheries agreements.
It also places emphasis on the role of artisanal fishing communities in governance structures, alongside industrial operators that dominate much of the regional fishing economy.
Joint enforcement operations expand
In February 2026, the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission, known as Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission, coordinated Operation Swordfish with support from the European Union and its Act-Inn programme.
The operation involved naval forces from Senegal, Mauritania, The Gambia and Cape Verde, using satellite tracking and shared intelligence to identify suspected illegal activity at sea.
Eight industrial vessels were boarded during the mission for offences including unlicensed fishing, use of non-compliant equipment and failure to transmit required tracking signals.
Gulf of Guinea cooperation grows
Between 6 and 12 April 2026, the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea organised a joint patrol covering the exclusive economic zones of Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia.
The exercise was carried out with support from the European Fisheries Control Agency and the West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme, focusing on coordinated surveillance using air, sea and electronic monitoring tools.
A total of 89 vessels were monitored during the patrol, with four intercepted and handed over to national authorities for further investigation.
Shift toward coordinated surveillance
The combined initiatives reflect a gradual move toward intelligence-led maritime enforcement systems that rely on data sharing, satellite tracking and joint operations between coastal states.
Despite these developments, coordination remains uneven across the region, with many operations still dependent on external funding and short-term project cycles.
The long-term challenge remains the establishment of a stable regional enforcement framework capable of sustaining joint monitoring and reducing illegal fishing pressure across West African waters.
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