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Monash helps African fisheries

24 September 2008

Kwame Mfodwo

A manual written by Law faculty academic Kwame Mfodwo is playing a key role in helping developing African countries negotiate more lucrative and sustainable fisheries agreements with foreign trading partners.

The extensive manual, Negotiating equitable fisheries access agreements, was published earlier this year and is available in English, French and Portuguese.

It provides instructions and advice on all aspects of fisheries agreements including negotiation, strategy, implementation and evaluation of financial returns.

More than 130 trade, economics, fisheries and law officials from fisheries-rich West African countries including Senegal, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde have attended workshops based on the manual.

The countries are using the manual to negotiate fisheries access agreements with economic heavyweights such as the European Union (EU), Russia, China, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

"Countries in the Indian Ocean region, including the Seychelles, Kenya, Mauritius, Madagascar and Tanzania, have also shown interest in having their officials trained on how to best use the manual," Mr Mfodwo said.

Mr Mfodwo, an international law expert, said he spent two years writing the manual and analysed more than 300 historical and contemporary fisheries agreements from around the world.

He also studied the strategies adopted by companies and fleets from fishing powerhouses including China, the EU, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan, and he interviewed experienced fisheries negotiators from various parts of the world.

The manual, which is supported by a website providing information on fisheries agreements, was written as part of a project sponsored by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Wildlife Fund.

The manual has already had a significant global impact and is now being prepared for worldwide distribution by the IUCN and OceanLaw Press.