Migration des pêcheurs et pêche des petits pélagiques en Afrique de l’Ouest : dynamiques et enjeux

The objective of this article is to present the trends in the flows of migrant fishermen targeting small pelagic fish in West Africa from fishing locations to consumption areas. The methodology involved identifying the different migrant small pelagic fish supply chains in various West African countries. Subsequently, field research in collaboration with national research institutions and a synthesis of regional studies on migrant fishing were conducted. These efforts allowed for an analysis of developments in terms of actors involved, volumes and values of catches, and the forms of processing and marketing of products from migrant fishing supply chains during the period from 2008 to 2018. The quantities of pelagic fish caught by migrant fishermen are increasingly significant. The production of migrant fishing for small pelagic fish has nearly doubled over a decade, going from an average of 180,200 tonnes in the period from 2008 to 2012 to a current average production of nearly 324,500 tonnes. More than 48% of this production is sold on the market fresh or frozen. More than 74,800 tonnes (or 23%) and 94,000 tonnes (or 28%) are respectively destined for artisanal and industrial processing. Migrant fisheries thus supply the industrial processing sector more than they do the artisanal processing sector. Consequently, over the past decade, migrant supply chains have contributed to the emergence of fishmeal factories in West Africa, leading to an increase in food insecurity. Furthermore, their contribution to local economies is increasingly significant. However, despite their substantial growth in terms of volumes and values of catches, migrant fisheries still operate outside of legislative frameworks and are not explicitly accounted for in national statistics. Additionally, conflicts are on the rise due to current tensions and issues surrounding the exploitation of small pelagic fish in West Africa.