The widespread use of refrigeration, and improved transportation and communications has facilitated this vast expansion of trade, which is an important engine of economic growth and development.Īfrica’s share in global exports continues to be minor, estimated at US$ 4.8 billion in 2011 (Figure 2).Įxpansion of export volumes was primarily due to the growth in exports of fresh, chilled or frozen fish (which constituted over 50 per cent of the total) and to a lesser extent, prepared and preserved fish and fish meal. An estimated 45 per cent of the world catch is now traded internationally. Global fish trade has been increasing very rapidly in recent decades. Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania are the leading fishing countries in the African Great Lakes region, while Nigeria and Egypt, with their river fisheries, remain the main producers in Africa. Global inland production was estimated at 11.2 million tonnes in 2010, of which Africa contributed about 2.5 million tonnes. This increase has been due to the extension of national EEZs to 200 miles higher fishing capacity and technological progress creation of national industrial fleets high rate of motorisation of artisanal canoes (61 per cent in Africa) and fishing agreements signed between African countries and others, especially the EU. Overall though, Africa’s contribution to world fishery production has grown from 5.9 per cent in 1950 to 8.1 per cent in 2011. In 2011, the African total capture fisheries and aquaculture production dropped slightly to about 8 995 518 tonnes (6 per cent of world total), of which 1 398 091 tonnes came from aquaculture and 7 597 427 tonnes from capture catches. In that year, fish catches and aquaculture totalled some 158 million tonnes valued at US$ 217.5 billion (Figure 1). In 2010, Africa contributed 7,597,427 million tonnes, or 9 per cent of global caught supply, representing a regional increase of 6.8 times from 1 109 387 tonnes in 1950.

Over the past decade, world capture fisheries production has remained stable at around 90 million tonnes per year.

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