A bibliometric analysis of the marine fishing landscape in Africa and its implications for sustainable coastal communities’ resilience and governance to the increasing human-environmental risks

Abstract

Marine fishing is critical for coastal livelihoods, sustainability transitions, and the attainment of sustainable development goals. With a long coastline and unique marine fish species, marine fishing could drive sustainable development in Africa. However, with increasing human-environmental challenges in tropical fishing zones, the projected sustainability benefits from Africa’s fisheries resources are threatened. This is worsened by the limited research to understand how these challenges have persisted or could be realigned to suit blue transformations in the marine fisheries sector. We sourced 1066 documents from Scopus, which were analyzed using bibliometrics to (i) analyze research trends and (ii) understand intricate networks and critical themes in research and policy regarding marine fisheries. Findings on research trends reveal a decline in research on marine fishing, domination of research by non-African authors, and institutions, and limited publications in reputable journals. Complex networks persist, worsened by the limited funding of transdisciplinary research. Most researchers and research institutions in Africa prefer marine fisheries science research. Limited marine sociological research has been conducted. Key themes are not prioritizing current governance pathways, and there is limited collaboration among coastal African countries, authors, and institutions in research. To build a new aura for sustainability, a Priority Action Pathway (PAP) has been developed that includes six (6) priority actions to drive sustainable transformations. With increased collaborations, focus on transdisciplinary marine fishing research and a shift in fisheries policy research emphasis to focus on the understanding of socioecological complexities, possibilities for identifying and promoting sustainability transformations (including in sustainable financing) in the sector are possible. This can be through an increased focus on collecting and integrating marine social science with marine fisheries science research. This can help identify/create novel perspectives from tropical coastal communities needed to co-design sustainable priority actions and mechanisms in coastal fishing zones.

References

[1] AU (2024) African Union: Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. Accessed on 27^th June 2024 via https://au.int/

[2] Auta HS, Emenike CU, Fauziah SH. Distribution and importance of microplastics in the marine environment: a review of the sources, fate, effects, and potential solutions Environ Int, 2017, 102: 165-176.

[3] Belhabib D, Koutob V, Sall A, Lam VW, Pauly D. Fisheries catch misreporting and its implications: The case of Senegal Fish Res, 2014, 151: 1-11.

[4] Belhabib D, Dridi R, Padilla A, Ang M, Le Billon P. Impacts of anthropogenic and natural “extreme events” on global fisheries Fish Fish, 2018, 19(6): 1092-1109.

[5] Belhabib D, Greer K, Pauly D. Trends in industrial and artisanal catch per effort in West African fisheries Conserv Lett, 2018, 11(1): e12360.

[6] Borja A, Berg T, Gundersen H, Hagen AG, Hancke K, Korpinen S, ..., Uyarra MC (2024b) Innovative and practical tools for monitoring and assessing biodiversity status and impacts of multiple human pressures in marine systems. Environ Monit Assess 196(8):694. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12861-2

[7] Borja A, Bricker SB, Dauer DM, Demetriades NT, Ferreira JG, Forbes AT, Zhu C (2008) Overview of integrative tools and methods in assessing ecological integrity in estuarine and coastal systems worldwide. Mar Pollut Bull 56(9):1519–1537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.07.005

[8] Borja A, Elliott M, Andersen JH, Cardoso AC, Carstensen J, Ferreira JG, ..., Zampoukas N (2013) Good environmental status of marine ecosystems: what is it and how do we know when we have attained it?. Mar Pollut Bull 76(1–2):16–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.08.042

[9] Borja A, Prins TC, Simboura N et al (2017) Tales from a thousand and one ways to integrate marine ecosystem components when assessing the environmental status. Bridging the Gap Between Policy and Science in Assessing the Health Status of Marine Ecosystems, 391. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2014.00072

[10] Boyer DC, Hampton I. An overview of the living marine resources of Namibia Afr J Mar Sci, 2001, 23: 5-35.

[11] Brockhaus M, Di Gregorio M, Djoudi H, Moelino M, Pham TT, Wong GY. The forest frontier in the Global South: climate change policies and the promise of development and equity Ambio, 2021, 50(12): 2238-2255.

[12] Cele N. Are you a fisher or mussel collector?: Examining gendered identity markers in the small-scale fishing industry: Case studies from KwaZulu-Natal South Africa Agenda, 2020, 34(1): 141-150.

[13] Croft F, Breakey H, Voyer M, Cisneros-Montemayor A, Issifu I, Solitei M, ..., Pouponneau A (2024) Rethinking blue economy governance–A blue economy equity model as an approach to operationalize equity. Environ Sci Policy 155:103710. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103710

[14] Daniels A, Gutiérrez M, Fanjul G, Guereña A, Matheson I, Watkins K (2016) Western Africa's Missing Fish: The impact of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and under-reporting catches by foreign fleets.

[15] Dunn KC, Neumann IB Undertaking discourse analysis for social research, 2016 University of Michigan Press.

[16] Edwards P, Juhola S, Saxena P, Balag'kutu T, Bastos A, Capon A, ..., Ungvari J (2024) Towards sustainable transformation: Research priorities in climate change and biodiversity. https://doi.org/10.2777/591057

[17] Elham AM (2022) Taking charge of Africa’s oceans and blue resources. Accessed on 28^th June 2024 via https://www.un.org/

[18] FAO. The State of Food and Agriculture 2023 – Revealing the true cost of food to transform agrifood systems Rome, 2023.

[19] FAO In Brief to The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024, 2024 Rome Blue Transformation in action.

[20] FAO. Developing and implementing a National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries – A manual in support of the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication Rome, 2024.

[21] Ferrari R. Writing narrative style literature reviews Med Writing, 2015, 24(4): 230-235.

[22] Fuso-Nerini F, Mazzucato M, Rockström J, van Asselt H, Hall JW, Matos S, ..., Sachs J (2024) Extending the Sustainable Development Goals to 2050—a road map. Nature 630(8017):555–558. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01754-6

[23] Galligan BP, McClanahan TR. Nutrition contributions of coral reef fisheries not enhanced by capture of small fish Ocean Coast Manag, 2024, 249: 107011.

[24] Galligan BP, McClanahan TR (2024b) Tropical fishery nutrient production depends on biomass-based management. Iscience 27(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.109420

[25] Graham NA, Jennings S, MacNeil MA, Mouillot D, Wilson SK. Predicting climate-driven regime shifts versus rebound potential in coral reefs Nature, 2015, 518(7537): 94-97.

[26] Griffith MB, McManus MG. Consideration of spatial and temporal scales in stream restorations and biotic monitoring to assess restoration outcomes: A literature review, part 1 River Res Applic, 2020, 36(8): 1385-1397.

[27] Harper S, Adshade M, Lam VW, Pauly D, Sumaila UR. Valuing invisible catches: Estimating the global contribution by women to small-scale marine capture fisheries production PLoS ONE, 2020, 15(3): e0228912.

[28] Hatje V, Rayfuse R, Polejack P, Goddard C, Jiang C, Jones D, …, Kiefer T (2024) Ocean Decade Vision 2030 White Papers – Challenge 1: Understand and Beat Marine Pollution. Paris, UNESCO-IOC. (The Ocean Decade Series, 51.1). https://doi.org/10.25607/6m86 - s908

[29] IMO (2023) International Maritime Organization: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). www.imo.org

[30] IRP (2021). International Resource Panel: Governing Coastal Resources: Implications for a Sustainable Blue Economy. UN Environment Programme. www.irp.org

[31] Jacquet J, Fox H, Motta H, Ngusaru A, Zeller D. Few data but many fish: marine small-scale fisheries catches for Mozambique and Tanzania Afr J Mar Sci, 2010, 32(2): 197-206.

[32] Kaunda-Arara B, Munga C, Manyala J, Kuguru B, Igulu M, Chande M, Ruwa R (2016) Spatial variation in benthopelagic fish assemblage structure along coastal East Africa from recent bottom trawl surveys. Reg Stud Mar Sci. 8;201–209.

[33] Kaunda-Arara B, Rose GA. Effects of marine reef National Parks on fishery CPUE in coastal Kenya Biol Cons, 2004, 118(1): 1-13.

[34] Kaunda-Arara B (1996) Analysis of fish catch data from 1985 to 1994 in the Kenyan inshore marine waters. http://hdl.handle.net/1834/35494

[35] Kellner CM, Schoeninger MJ (2007) A simple carbon isotope model for reconstructing prehistoric human diet. Am J Phys Anthropol 133(4):1112–1127. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.20618

[36] Lawrence RJ (2023) Handbook of transdisciplinarity: global perspectives. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, Cheltenham. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781802207835

[37] Lubchenco J, Haugan PM (2023) The Blue Compendium: From Knowledge to Action for a Sustainable Ocean Economy. Springer. ISBN 978-3-031-16276-3. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16277-0

[38] Lukambagire I, Agrah T, von Lieres JS, Matovu B, Bhavani RR (2024) Fishermen's attitudes towards drone use for sustainable fishing in a coastal community in Kerala, India: An exploratory qualitative study. Sustainable Futures 100225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2024.100225

[39] Magoro ML, Perissinotto R, Wooldridge TH, Whitfield AK. Micro-estuaries and micro-outlets as incipient estuarine systems–Does size and coastal connectivity count? Sci Total Environ, 2020, 703: 134707.

[40] Mahato T, Jha MK, Nayak AK, Kaushal N. Empowerment of women through participation in self-help groups: a bibliometric analysis and systematic review Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 2023, 17(6): 1511-1538.

[41] Mann BQ, Rhodes G, Kyle R (2014) Artisanal and subsistence fishing. Goble BJ.

[42] Mann-Lang JB, Branch GM, Mann BQ, Sink KJ, Kirkman SP, Adams R. Social and economic effects of marine protected areas in South Africa, with recommendations for future assessments Afr J Mar Sci, 2021, 43(3): 367-387.

[43] Manyilizu MC. A decade of the Blue Economy concept in the western Indian Ocean region: research and technology perspectives Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science, 2023, 22(2): 1-11.

[44] March A, Woolley M, Failler P. Integration of climate change mitigation and adaptation in Blue Economy planning in Africa Mitig Adapt Strat Glob Change, 2024, 29(5): 38.

[45] Maskaeva A, Failler P, Cowaloosur H, Lallemand P, Mang’ena, J.. Assessment of socioeconomic and ecosystem services of the blue economy in Tanzania using the UNECA's Blue Economy Valuation Toolkit Mar Policy, 2024, 159: 105920.

[46] Matovu B, Brouwer F, Bleischwitz R, Aljanabi F, Alkoyak-Yildiz M. Resource nexus perspectives in the Blue Economy of India: The case of sand mining in Kerala Environ Sci Policy, 2024, 151: 103617.

[47] Matovu B, Alkoyak-Yildiz M, Lukambagire I, Etta LA, Bbira Y, Nuwategeka E (2024c) Using a Systems Thinking Approach to Increase Coastal Community Resilience against Environmental Shocks: A Case Study of Valiathura Coastal Area, India. Acta Sci Polonorum. Formatio Circumiectus 23(1):3–18. https://doi.org/10.15576/ASP.FC/2024.23.1.01

[48] Matovu B, Lukambagire I, Mwabvu B, Manianga A, Alkoyak-Yildiz M, Niranjanaa S, ..., Etta LA (2024a) Co-designing transformative ocean sustainability narratives to address complex human-environmental challenges facing coastal fisherwomen: An evidence-based study. Environ Challenges 15:100923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2024.100923

[49] Maul GA, Duedall IW (2019) Demography of Coastal Populations. In: Finkl CW, Makowski C (eds) Encyclopedia of Coastal Science. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93806-6_115

[50] McClanahan TR, Graham NA, Calnan JM, MacNeil MA. Toward pristine biomass: reef fish recovery in coral reef marine protected areas in Kenya Ecol Appl, 2007, 17(4): 1055-1067.

[51] McClanahan TR, Hicks CC, Darling ES. Malthusian overfishing and efforts to overcome it on Kenyan coral reefs Ecol Appl, 2008, 18(6): 1516-1529.

[52] McClanahan TR, Friedlander AM, Wantiez L, Graham NA, Bruggemann JH, Chabanet P, Oddenyo RM. Best-practice fisheries management associated with reduced stocks and changes in life histories Fish Fish, 2022, 23(2): 422-444.

[53] McDougall C, Kruijssen F, Sproule K, Serfilippi E, Rajaratnam S, Newton J, Adam R (2021) Women’s Empowerment in Fisheries and Aquaculture Index (WEFI): Guidance Notes. Penang, Malaysia: CGIAR Research Program on Fish Agri-Food Systems (FISH). https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12348/5107

[54] McManus JW, Menez LA, Kesner-Reyes KN, Vergara SG, Ablan MC. Coral reef fishing and coral-algal phase shifts: implications for global reef status ICES J Mar Sci, 2000, 57(3): 572-578.

[55] Ndiaye TM. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing: responses in general and in West Africa Chinese Journal of International Law, 2011, 10(2): 373-405.

[56] Neuman LW (2014) Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. 7^th Edition, Pearson Education Limited, UK. ISBN: ISBN 13: 978–1–292–02023–5

[57] Ocean Panel (High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy) (2020) Transformations for a Sustainable Ocean Economy: A Vision for Protection, Production and Prosperity. High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy. https://www.oceanpanel.org/ocean-action/fles/transformationssustainable-ocean-economy-eng.pd

[58] Ochieng OB, Chenje ME, Mulwa FB. Distribution and reproductive patterns of the Epinephelus Genus Groupers off Kenyan south coast Marine Waters J Fish Aquat Sci, 2015, 10(3): 159

[59] Osei VS, Forrester G, Clottey MNK, McManus MC, Collie J. The influence of environmental factors and fishing effort on demersal fish species in Ghanaian waters Regional Studies in Marine Science, 2021, 46: 101858.

[60] Partelow S, Schlüter A, Ban NC, Batterbury S, Bavinck M, Bennett NJ, ..., Villasante S (2023) Five social science intervention areas for ocean sustainability initiatives. npj Ocean Sustainability 2(1):24. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-023-0032-8

[61] Paterson SK, Chabay I. Navigating the currents of coastal narratives in search of sustainable futures Mitig Adapt Strat Glob Change, 2024, 29(5): 46.

[62] von der Porten S, Corntassel J, Mucina D (2019) Indigenous nationhood and herring governance: strategies for the reassertion of Indigenous authority and inter-Indigenous solidarity regarding marine resources. AlterN Int J Indigenous Peoples 15(1):62–74. https://doi.org/10.1177/2F1177180118823560

[63] Pranajaya E, Alexandri MB, Chan A, Hermanto B. Examining the influence of financial inclusion on investment decision: A bibliometric review Heliyon, 2024.

[64] Ramos A, Ramil F, Sanz JL (eds) (2017) Deep-sea ecosystems off Mauritania: research of marine biodiversity and habitats in the Northwest African Margin. Springer.

[65] Sachs JD, Lafortune G, Fuller G (2024) The SDGs and the UN Summit of the Future. Sustainable Development Report 2024. Paris: SDSN, Dublin: Dublin University Press. https://doi.org/10.25546/108572

[66] Sarfo I, Qiao J, Effah NAA, Djan MA, Puplampu DA, Batame M, ..., Zhu X (2024) A bibliometric analysis of China’s rural revitalization paradox: opportunities for collaboration, social innovation and global development. Environ Dev Sustainability 1–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-04302-w

[67] Schleyer MH, Floros C, Laing SC, Macdonald AH, Montoya-Maya PH, Morris T, ..., Seré MG (2018) What can South African reefs tell us about the future of high-latitude coral systems? Mar Pollut Bull 136:491–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.09.014

[68] Schleyer MH, Tomalin BJ. Damage on South African coral reefs and an assessment of their sustainable diving capacity using a fisheries approach Bull Mar Sci, 2000, 67(3): 1025-1042

[69] Scott CP, Mach L, Lucas KM, Myers AE (2024) Whose Cultural Ecosystem Service Values Matter? Exploring Power Inequities in Diverse Mangrove Communities. Human Ecol 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-023-00462-5.

[70] Semar-Bitah K, Mouzai M, Kherchi AM, Milla T, Bougrid D, Bourahla H (2022) Toward the first decision support system for marine aquaculture monitoring in Algeria. In: 2022 4th International Conference on Pattern Analysis and Intelligent Systems (PAIS). IEEE, p. 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1109/PAIS56586.2022.9946920

[71] Shimabukuro M, Toki T, Shimabukuro H, Kubo Y, Takahashi S, Shinjo R. Development and application of an environmental education tool (Board Game) for teaching integrated resource management of the water cycle on coral reef islands Sustainability, 2022, 14(24): 16562.

[72] Spalding AK, Grorud-Colvert K, Allison EH, Amon DJ, Collin R, de Vos A, ..., Thurber RV (2023) Engaging the tropical majority to make ocean governance and science more equitable and effective. npj Ocean Sustainability 2(1):8. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-023-00015-9

[73] Stadelmann-Steffen I, Eder C, Harring N, Spilker G, Katsanidou A. A framework for social tipping in climate change mitigation: What we can learn about social tipping dynamics from the chlorofluorocarbons phase-out Energy Res Soc Sci, 2021, 82: 102307.

[74] Stefanoudis PV, Talma S, Fassbender N, Swanborn D, Ochieng CN, Mearns K, ..., Woodall LC (2023) Stakeholder‐derived recommendations and actions to support deep‐reef conservation in the Western Indian Ocean. Conserv Lett 16(1):e12924. https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12924

[75] UN (2023) United Nations Sustainable Development Group. Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. Accessed via www.unsdg.un.org on 10^th December 2023.

[76] UNCTAD (2022) United Nations Commission on Trade and Development: Towards a Harmonized International Trade Classification for the Development of Sustainable Ocean-Based Economies. ISBN: 978–92–1–112995–3 United Nations Publications, New York. https://shop.un.org/

[77] UNCTAD (2023) Review of Maritime Transport: Towards a Green and Just Transition. ISBN: 978–92–1–002886–8 https://shop.un.org/

[78] UNECA (2016) United Nations Economic Commission for Africa: Africa's Blue Economy: A policy handbook. ISBN: 978–99944–61–86–8 http://www.uneca.org/

[79] UNESCO (2023) UNESCO Open Science Outlook 1: Status and trends around the world. UNESCO, Paris. https://doi.org/10.54677/GIIC6829

[80] UNEP FI (2022) United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative. Sustainable blue economy. https://www.unepf.org/ecosystems/sustainable-blue-economy-fnance/ Accessed 1 May 2024

[81] Villasante S, Gianelli I, Castrejón M, Nahuelhual L, Ortega L, Sumaila UR, Defeo O. Social-ecological shifts, traps and collapses in small-scale fisheries: Envisioning a way forward to transformative changes Mar Policy, 2022, 136: 104933.

[82] Winkelmann R, Donges, JF, Smith EK, Milkoreit M, Eder C, Heitzig J, ..., Lenton TM (2022) Social tipping processes towards climate action: a conceptual framework. Ecol Econ 192:107242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107242

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s)