Environmental pressures Africa’s aquatic ecosystems face intensifying pressures from pollution and unsustainable practices. Inland, declining dissolved oxygen levels – driven by pollutants and nutrient runoff from land-based agriculture that cause algal blooms – have triggered mass fish deaths, such as in Lake Victoria. At sea, bottom trawling (a fishing method that drags heavy nets across the seabed) stirs up an estimated 22 billion tonnes of sediment annually,42 degrading seabeds, destroying habitats and releasing stored carbon. Ghost gears (lost or abandoned fishing nets, lines or traps) make up around 10% of global marine debris and continue to capture and kill marine life unintentionally.43 In addition, the continent’s mangroves – about 20% of the global total44 – remain under threat from conversion and pollution. These cumulative stresses increase costs for fisheries, aquaculture and coastal economies, making environmental management an urgent priority. It is critical to address these loss drivers in Africa’s blue foods sector. Simply reaching global average performance across the challenges described above could boost Africa’s blue food supply by around 5 million tonnes – a 40% increase on current production. This would deliver ~70% of the ambition, highlighted in Chapter 1, to double Africa’s blue food output. Africa’s opportunity to boost blue foods production by reducing key losses (Mt) FIGURE 4 Addressing key losses within blue foods sector can increase blue foods production by ~40% Input losses1Waste/spoilage2Disease risks3Traceability losses4Production potential Current production13.1 Mt18.5 MtMillion tonnes (Mt) Share of current production (%)+5.4 Mt (+41%) 18 Mt represents ~70% of Africa’s 26 Mt blue foods ambition 1.15 Mt 8.8%2.4 Mt ~50% of losses in blue foods sector driven by waste/spoilage18%1.7 Mt 12.9%0.18 Mt 1.4% Environmental and ecosystem pressures not included as these do not directly drive losses in the blue foods sector Notes: 1. Input losses put 2.5 Mt of aquaculture production at risk. 2. ~33% of total aqua production in Africa lost due to lack of cold chain and critical infrastructure vs. 15% for global average lost. 3. 9% of produce lost due to diseases vs ~1.5% for global average. 4.~36% lost annually in Africa due to illegal and unreported fishing vs 20% globally. For detailed calculations and methodology, see Appendix A4 Source: See endnote.45 Simply reaching global average performance across the challenges described above could boost Africa’s blue food supply by around 5 million tonnes – a 40% increase on current production. Investing in Blue Foods: Innovation and Partnerships for Impact 11

Investing in Blue Foods 2026