Study on the evolution of markets for West African fish products: impact of the GATT agreement , the devaluation of the CFA Franc and the decline of the industrial small pelagic fishery on food security

Abstract

The new GATT Agreement which aims at encouraging free trade will also have major repercussions on ACP seafood exporters when it takes full effect. What happens when the tax-free status enjoyed by West African seafood products entering the EU market is either eliminated or similar facilities are extended to non-ACP countries? Even with the current 24% duty imposed on non-ACP products entering the EU, market share of canned tuna on the EU market continue to grow for South East Asian countries, a real concern for West African seafood processors and exporters. While the initial impact of the devaluation of the franc CFA has been positive for seafood exporters in francophone West African countries, boatowners or canoe operators who depend on imported fishing inputs are going through difficult times. The entire seafood industry is still going through various readjustments and in countries like Senegal where there has been an extremely high demand for demersal species by fresh fish exporters, artisanal fishermen are gradually giving up seining for small pelagics to the more lucrative trawling for demersal fish which fetches more money. West African consumers depend largely on small pelagic fish to meet their nutritional needs and if the production of this commodity is neglected, it will have a serious consequence on food security in the region.