Fishing for development: can we get the right ‘hook’ for sustaining fisheries benefits?

Ahmed Khan, PhD, African Development Bank Group | Abidjan| Cote d’Ivoire| West Africa

Abstract

Speaker: Ahmed Khan, PhD, African Development Bank Group

Fishing and fisheries related topics have been under the radar for many decades, stemming from sustainability related questions and governance reforms. Research and policy questions around fishing for whom (beneficiaries), how (fishing methods and tools), what (socioeconomic impacts), and when (seasonality) are pertinent. But also important are questions around where (countries/LMEs) and why (food, trade and livelihood security). This seminar will focus on the where (African continent) and the why (food-livelihood- trade nexus) and rightly on the what (wellbeing and resilience) in making this economic sector viable, equitable, and transformative. The talk draws upon the AfDB Blue Economy Flagship operations under Feed Africa Strategy to demonstrate that with the right ‘hook’ and financial instruments, both development and conservation objectives can be achieved especially in the context of global and climatic changes.