Local fishers on Bubake island, part of the Bijagós archipelago in Guinea-Bissau, confront significant challenges as industrial fishing vessels encroach upon their traditional practices. The only ice factory on Bubaque is currently out of service, forcing fishers like Pedro Luis Pereira to travel 70 kilometers to the mainland for ice, a six-hour journey by boat.
“The machines have been broken for months,” Pereira states while pulling in his nets. “We’ve alerted the ministry of fisheries, but so far, no one has come to fix them.” The Bijagós archipelago, known for its shallow waters rich in silver flat sardinella, is designated as a protected area for small-scale fishing. However, foreign industrial boats are increasingly violating these boundaries.
The area has been likened to “the Galápagos of west Africa” due to its rich biodiversity, including endangered turtles and manatees. The local ecosystem relies heavily on sardinella, which is crucial for migratory birds and other marine species. However, these fish are now being targeted by larger industrial vessels, such as the Hua Xin 17, a floating factory that illegally processes fish into fishmeal and oil.
Eyewitness accounts and satellite data indicate that Turkish boats have been fishing inside the protected waters, supplying the Hua Xin 17. This floating factory and another vessel, the Tian Yi He 6, are reported to have processed hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sardinella, impacting local food sources and livelihoods.
Aliou Ba, an oceans campaigner with Greenpeace, emphasizes the ecological importance of the Bijagós archipelago. “Illegal fishing within its marine protected area is not only a violation of Guinean law, but a direct threat to biodiversity and local communities’ livelihoods,” he asserts.
Disabling Detection Systems
The Hua Xin 17 was discovered anchored off the coast of Orango island for 157 days in 2025, raising concerns about the expansion of offshore processing factories in Guinea-Bissau. Another factory, the Tian Yi He 6, has operated in the region for over five years, frequently violating local laws. Reports from fisheries intelligence organizations indicate that both vessels regularly disable their Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals, a practice associated with illegal fishing operations.
This illicit activity often involves transshipping fish at sea while AIS systems are turned off, enabling the export of illegally harvested fish without passing through official ports. Ba warns, “When foreign distant water fleets operate outside the law, the consequences fall hardest on small-scale fishers and coastal communities.”
‘They Only Gave Us Rice to Eat’
Testimonies from crew members, such as Antonio, who spent seven months aboard the Hua Xin 17, reveal harsh working conditions. He describes a setup where crew members worked in shifts to process fish while enduring poor treatment. “They only gave us rice to eat,” he recalls, contrasting the treatment of Guinean crew with that of their Chinese counterparts.
A video shared by Antonio shows tonnes of sardinella being processed on the factory ship, further indicating the scale of the operations. The impact of these offshore factories is profound, threatening food security in one of the world's poorest countries, where fish accounts for a significant portion of protein consumption.
Béatrice Gorez from the Coalition For Fair Fisheries Arrangements highlights the ongoing challenges: “The fishmeal industry is expanding in a context where small pelagic fish are already overexploited.”
Entering the EU Market
The rise of fishmeal factories in Guinea-Bissau follows stricter regulations in neighboring countries like Mauritania and Senegal. This shift may be pushing industrial vessels into Guinea-Bissau’s waters, where fish stocks are still relatively abundant. Evidence suggests that the floating factory Tian Yi He 6 has been involved in the illegal transshipment of fishmeal to cargo vessels bound for international markets.
Trade data indicates that fishmeal produced by the Tian Yi He 6 has made its way to companies in South America, raising concerns about the origins of these products. Vera Coelho from Oceana in Europe stresses the need for transparency: “Fishmeal and fish oil can enter the EU market without documentation on the species or its origin.”
A Landmark Ban
In response to growing pressure, Guinea-Bissau's new government has announced a sweeping ban on fishmeal production at sea and on land, along with a suspension of licenses for purse-seine fishing of small pelagic fish. This move has been welcomed by environmental organizations and local advocacy groups.
However, enforcement remains a challenge, as the country lacks the resources to monitor its waters effectively. Local fishers are still calling for investment in cold storage and other resources to support their livelihoods. “Only then can this measure [fishmeal ban] become a real opportunity to improve community incomes and promote food security in the country,” says local leader Cá.
Source: the Guardian News