Cameroon fishing products banned from European markets.

By David Atangana

The European union has blacklisted Cameroon over what they call ‘illegal fishing, MMI has gathered.

Seafood from Cameroon will no longer have access into European markets, according to Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

The European Commission announced the ban on Thursday December 5th 2023 in retaliation to Cameroon’s failure to take action against illegal fishing.

According to the European Union, the ban will remain enforced until Cameroon complies EU’s fishing regulations.

Camerooon had received a warning two years ago from illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing regulation, an arm of the European Union.

No action was reportedly taken until the sanctions was meted.

The Yaounde government was supposed to step up its actions against IUU fishing to avoid a red card according to information gathered.

“Cameroon was on Thursday blacklisted based on the persistence of serious shortcomings” the Commission said, adding that , “Authorities had failed to ensure adequate control over the national fishing fleet and to take necessary corrective measures for the cessation and prevention of IUU fishing activities.”

IUU fishing is one of the many environmentally unsustainable activities that prevent EU countries from reaching the so-called European Green Deal, which aims to set the continent on the path to a green transition, making it the first “climate-neutral continent,” by 2050.

The European Commission while delivering the sanction against Cameroon said,it remains ready to continue the dialogue with Cameroon to address the threats that IUU fishing poses to the sustainable exploitation of the sea,” said Virginijus Sinkevičius, the European Commissioner for the Environment.

“Sustainable fisheries and better ocean governance go hand in hand and the EU is firmly committed to both,” said Virginijus Sinkevičius, the European Commissioner for the Environment.

Mimi Mefo Info