World Fisheries Day 2021: What I do (and don’t) celebrate about Aquaculture in Africa

On the 21st of November 2015, we witnessed the grand celebration of the first ever world fisheries day. In 2021, just a couple of years down the line, this is no longer just a New Delhi affair but a celebration to reckon with all over the world. Although it comes in different themes every year, one cannot help but admit that recently, whatever reference one gives to fish (its abundance, supply, trade and importance to humans), aquaculture always seems to take a center stage. As a young fish and aquaculture enthusiast in Africa, this is my take as we close this year’s celebrations.

We need fish

Fish eating has always been in the African culture. With oceans (and sea) making it 360 from Cape to Cairo, and numerous large fresh water bodies all over the continent, Africans have always caught (and eaten) fish. However, the unfortunate fact all over the world is the untimely diminish of wild catches from these water bodies. The growth in the aquaculture sector in the recent decades provides an alternative fish source that might help keep the fish supplies stable. As a rule of thumb, supply is a factor of demand, which is influenced by many issues, key to which is population. With 1.35 billion people, Africa’s population has risen by at least 2.45% every year since 2000.

The continent’s current per capita fish consumption (8kg) is less than half of the world average (20kg) and this has nothing to with whether my neighbor loves to eat fish or not. It’s because we have less fish than we should! With the rise in population, the pressure to produce more cheap protein is only going to increase. That’s why we don’t want fish, we need fish!

Chasing setting suns?

I acknowledge the fact that aquaculture’s rise in popularity in this decade has significantly superseded what most growth projections had shown in the late 1980s and early 1990s. However, I think it is a shame that some people still need justification as why aquaculture is needed. These folks argue that with sustainable fisheries, we can get enough fish from the wild. To them, aquaculture is an unnecessary competition to the natural fisheries. As a limnologist and one who cares about these natural systems and duly appreciate the services we get from them, I think anti-aquaculture folks are enemies of these systems.

Natural resources are limited and prone to depletion, especially when subjected to a factor as “wild” as the current human numbers and subsequent needs. Ignoring alternative measures such as aquaculture and trying to solely focus on these natural systems is like chasing setting suns. Side chat: You want us to get all the fish we need from the wild?,,,,,we caught them already, remember?,,,,Oops, you can’t remember since you haven’t been having enough fish!

Youth involvement

Onto some rising suns. It is very impressive how the youth have taken up aquaculture. Before, most people studied aquaculture in school only to end up drifting to other professions due to supposed lack of opportunities. African youth are now owning the space and driving the change that our predecessors only wished for. The more the youth take up more active roles in this sector, growth will be imminent.

Aquaculture: a necessity or an opportunity?

To borrow the words of an old wise man, “people did not invent agriculture and shout for joy. They drifted or were forced into it, protesting all the way”. The Danish agricultural economist, Ester Boserup always said it simply, “it was necessary.” Like all conventional agriculture, the initial growth of aquaculture was a necessity driven mainly by the fact that our numbers were rising, wild catches were (and still are) going down yet new generations have no less appetite for fish. Viola!

However, things took a turn for better or worse depending on how you look at it when aquaculture became an “actual business”. The narrative we have been riding on in the present decade is that we can only justify aquaculture’s existence in monetary terms (I mostly agree with this). In that case, the high and rising population in Africa and the urgent need for cheap protein is seen as an opportunity, one that many business people from all over the world have not been shy to exploit. This has resulted in many “fishy” activities across the continent, some of which have no intention to the protect or conserve natural fisheries or bring about long-term supply of fish in these corridors.

Yes, I celebrate the effort so far, no I don’t approve of the measures that are "killing" instead of fostering the growth of the local sector. Aquaculture is an opportunity but let us not forget that it was a necessity even before then!

Proteins vs fatty acids?

In aquaculture economics, one has to think of the protein source for their fish. In fact, in conventional aquaculture, fish feed accounts for as high as 70% of the cost of production and proteins are the most expensive ingredients. The importance of proteins to the growth of fish (and us!) can never be overstated. However, it is worrying to see the kind frenzy and melee that this fact has gotten us into. We have talked about proteins and their sources to an extent that we are (unintentionally though) starting to forget why we started doing this in the first place. Most consumers have even been misled to think that people should eat fish only because it is rich in proteins. Where did the famous unsaturated fatty acids go? Just how did Omega-3 become infamous so fast?

In this age, with all the health risks around us, it would be even more beneficial (than ever) to make the presence of these fatty acids and other micronutrients in fish known to consumers. The next time you preach about exercise, sleep and socializing, remember fish eating for I believe it makes the list. Proteins vs fatty acids, smh, how did we get here?

Numbers don’t lie

Aquaculture in Africa has taken bold steps forward in the recent past. However, going by the statistics, there is still a lot of work to be done. The continent contributes a meagre <3% of the total world aquaculture production. This is despite being the region with the most potential for growth in this sector. Ghana, Egypt and Nigeria (albeit with some work still to do) are success stories with others such as Kenya and more sub-Saharan countries playing catch up. There seems to be an endless list of donors, investors and developers in both private and public sector that are both interested and invested in African aquaculture. The opportunity is ours to squander. I celebrate (and I don’t).

Grow more fish and do not forget this year's theme: STOP HUMAN RIGHT VIOLATION AT SEA.