African nations and regional bodies are not silent on this issue. There is a growing and coordinated effort to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, though it faces immense challenges due to a lack of resources, corruption, and the sophisticated nature of the criminal networks involved.

Here's a breakdown of what the African Union and various regional and national bodies are doing:

1. African Union (AU) Initiatives

The African Union recognizes the "Blue Economy" as a key driver of the continent's future economic growth and a vital resource that needs protection. Its efforts include:

• Adopting Policy Frameworks: The AU has developed and is working to implement policy guidelines to curb IUU fishing. These guidelines aim to provide a common framework for member states to develop and strengthen their own anti-IUUF policies and legal systems. This involves pushing for greater transparency and better management of fisheries.

• Encouraging Ratification of International Treaties: The AU is urging its member states to ratify and adhere to international legal instruments aimed at combating IUU fishing, such as the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), which is the only binding international treaty specifically designed to prevent vessels engaged in IUU fishing from using ports.

• Promoting the Blue Economy: The AU's "Agenda 2063" highlights the importance of the Blue Economy. This means that African leaders are increasingly recognizing that protecting their maritime resources is not just an environmental issue but a critical component of their economic and social development.

2. Regional and Sub-Regional Efforts

At a more granular level, regional organizations are taking practical steps to fight back. These are often more effective as they involve direct collaboration between neighboring countries.

• FISH-i Africa: This is a groundbreaking task force that brings together maritime, fisheries, and police agencies from several East African countries (including Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and Tanzania). By sharing intelligence and data, they are able to track and identify vessels engaged in illegal fishing. This collaboration has led to successful port inspections and the denial of fishing licenses to vessels with a history of illegal activities.

• Sub-Regional Fisheries Commissions: Bodies like the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC) in West Africa (covering countries like Senegal, Guinea, and Mauritania) are working to harmonize their laws and coordinate surveillance. They have raised alarms about the massive scale of IUU fishing and are advocating for stronger enforcement measures.

• Bilateral and Multilateral Partnerships: Many African nations have also formed partnerships with international organizations and non-profits. For example:

  • Sea Shepherd: This conservation group has partnered with countries like Gabon, Liberia, and The Gambia to conduct joint patrols and surveillance operations. These partnerships have led to the seizure of numerous illegal trawlers and the exposure of criminal networks.

  • European Union (EU): The EU has used its "yellow card" and "red card" system to pressure countries to improve their fisheries management. While this is primarily aimed at their own fishing agreements, it has pushed African nations to strengthen their legal frameworks to avoid trade sanctions.

3. National-Level Enforcement and Challenges

Individual countries are also stepping up their efforts, though the challenges remain immense.

• Increased Patrols: Countries like Senegal and South Africa have invested in patrol vessels and technology to monitor their waters. In some cases, this has led to the successful interception and fining of Chinese vessels.

• Legal Reforms: African nations are working to update their fishing laws to include stronger penalties, higher fines, and provisions for prosecuting foreign vessels.

• Persistent Challenges: Despite these efforts, several factors continue to hamper success:

  • Lack of Resources: Many nations simply do not have the naval ships, air surveillance, and trained personnel to patrol their vast EEZs effectively.

  • Corruption: The allure of large sums of money can lead to corruption, where foreign fleets pay off local officials to operate illegally or to secure opaque and unfavorable fishing agreements.

  • Jurisdictional Hurdles: As mentioned before, the "flagging in" practice allows vessels to legally enter and operate in local waters while still being owned and managed by foreign entities, making them difficult to track and regulate.

In summary, while the problem is far from solved, there is significant and growing action at the regional and national levels. The African Union provides the high-level policy framework, while regional bodies and national governments are implementing more concrete, intelligence-led enforcement strategies. The core challenge remains a vast discrepancy in resources and power between the state-backed Chinese fleets and the often-vulnerable African nations they operate in.

Assertion that individuals and groups must take action because regional and central bodies are "reluctant" is a common sentiment, but it overlooks the complex and often resource-constrained efforts that are already underway. While official government action is critical, grassroots and community-led initiatives are indeed a vital and growing part of the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Here's how individuals and groups are taking action for their livelihood survival, and why these efforts are so important:

1. Community-Based Monitoring and Surveillance

Local fishermen are on the front lines and are often the first to witness illegal fishing activities. Instead of passively accepting their fate, many are organizing to create their own monitoring systems.

• "Eyes on the Water": Fishermen's associations and cooperatives are establishing networks to report sightings of suspicious vessels. They use simple tools like cell phones to take photos, videos, and GPS coordinates of foreign trawlers operating illegally in their waters.

• Collaboration with NGOs: Grassroots groups are partnering with international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), Sea Shepherd, and Blue Ventures. These NGOs provide resources, training, and technology, such as satellite-based vessel tracking systems (like Global Fishing Watch) that help corroborate local reports. This creates a powerful synergy between on-the-ground knowledge and high-tech surveillance.

• Example: In West Africa, local communities have used these partnerships to document instances of illegal "saiko" fishing, where industrial trawlers sell their bycatch at sea to local canoes. This evidence has been instrumental in raising awareness and pressuring national governments to act.

2. Legal Action and Advocacy

Empowering communities to use legal channels is a crucial step in the fight.

• Seeking Legal Aid: With the help of pro bono lawyers and legal aid organizations, fishing communities are exploring legal options to challenge inadequate government policies or bring cases against foreign companies.

• Lobbying for Stronger Laws: Fishermen's associations are becoming powerful advocacy groups. They are lobbying their national governments to reform fisheries laws, increase penalties for IUU fishing, and create legal frameworks that protect their inshore fishing zones from industrial trawlers.

• Promoting Transparency: Groups are demanding greater transparency in fisheries agreements between their governments and foreign nations. They are pushing for these contracts to be made public, ensuring that the terms are fair and do not compromise their livelihoods.

3. Diversification of Livelihoods

Recognizing the threat to their traditional way of life, some communities are taking a proactive approach to economic survival.

• Developing Eco-tourism: In some areas, coastal communities are developing small-scale eco-tourism initiatives, such as guided fishing trips, snorkeling, and diving tours. This creates alternative sources of income that are tied to a healthy marine environment, providing a direct incentive to protect their resources.

• Sustainable Aquaculture: Some communities are exploring sustainable aquaculture projects as a way to supplement their income and reduce pressure on wild fish stocks.

• Value-Added Products: Instead of selling raw fish, communities are learning to process their catch into higher-value products like dried fish, fish oil, or specialty seafood products. This allows them to capture more of the economic value and makes their livelihood more resilient to fluctuating fish prices.

4. Direct Action and Public Awareness

In some cases, communities have resorted to direct, though often risky, action to protect their waters.

• Peaceful Protests: Fishermen have organized protests, sometimes sailing their boats to coastal cities or government buildings to raise public awareness and demand action from officials.

• Confronting Trawlers: In rare and dangerous instances, small-scale fishermen have directly confronted illegal trawlers, attempting to block their nets or document their activities up close. This is a measure of last resort, and while it can be effective in drawing attention, it poses a significant risk to their lives and property.

• Using Media and Social Media: Fishermen and their supporters are using social media platforms to share evidence, tell their stories, and rally public support both nationally and internationally. This puts direct pressure on governments and companies.

These individual and group-led actions are not a replacement for strong government policy, but they are a crucial part of the overall strategy. They demonstrate that the fight against IUU fishing is not just a high-level diplomatic issue but a matter of daily survival for millions of people. They also provide the crucial intelligence and political will that can compel reluctant governments to take more forceful action.