Fishing is a crucial economic and social activity in Guinea. Marine fishing provides 85,000 jobs and is primarily carried out by the artisanal sector. It contributes to food security and the survival of coastal communities, and specifically benefits women who process the fish. Catches are mainly of small pelagic species taken by artisanal fishermen to supply both the local fresh fish markets and fish smokers.

Fish constitutes an invaluable protein source for the local population. Despite possessing a wealth of marine resources, there are insufficient supplies to meet the needs of the Guinean population. In a recent report completed for the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID), it is estimated that the annual loss due to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Guinean EEZ is around US$105 million, the worst in Africa.

  Source: The Environmental Justice Foundation, accessed 1 October 2011: http://www.ejfoundation.org/page278.html

Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568-1625), “Large Fish Market," 1603. Collection of the Alte Pinakothek, Munich.