Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius, a member of the European Commission, has stated that the European Union (EU) is committed to strengthening cooperation between Africa and Europe on ocean governance and the blue economy.
Mr. Sinkevičius stated that such cooperation was geared towards forging a mutually beneficial roadmap for the two continents in line with the 2030 United Nations (UN) Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063.
He stated this in a letter dated April 16, 2024, in response to a January 25, 2024, letter from the Canoe and Fish Gear Owners Association of Ghana (CaFGOAG) and its partners on the use of small pelagic from West Africa to produce fishmeal for the European market.
He said, as stated in the Joint Communication on the EU’s International Ocean Governance from 2022, the EU strives to safeguard entry into its market only for products that are sustainably sourced and produced.
“In line with its blue economy approach, the EU seeks to promote economic growth and improve livelihoods while ensuring sustainable use of marine resources and the well-being of coastal communities. Undoubtedly, effective management of fisheries and sustainable aquaculture are pre-conditions for a positive food system transformation,” a letter available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said.
It stated that while the EU did not have a specific strategy exclusively dedicated to fish oil and fish meal production, the importance of the issue was addressed within the broader context of fisheries management, aquaculture development, sustainability goals, and the Circular Economy and Farm-to-Fork initiatives.
It added that the ideas and suggestions put forward by the CaFGOAG and its partners feed their current reflexes with all relevant services in the context of the multi-fold cooperation between the EU and Africa.
Meanwhile, Nana Kweigyah, the President of CaFGOAG, has said that they will continue to engage the EU in further actions on the matter.
He said that while the engagements are ongoing, the government of Ghana must demonstrate leadership in putting an end to the industrial vessel’s competition with artisanal fishermen over small pelagic fish.
Source: GNA
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