Sub-Saharan officials say reducing fish imports creates local jobs

FILE - A view of fish farming pond on the Dibamba river, near Douala, Cameroon, June 24, 2021. FILE - Boris Youdom Kamgo, 32, a fish farmer and founder of Agro Worl Goup (AWG) feeds fish in his fish farming pond on the Dibamba river, near Douala, Cameroon, June 24, 2021.

Officials in Sub-Saharan Africa countries have agreed it is important to reduce over-dependence on imported fish and seafood from North Africa and the European Union and instead they should strive to cultivate fish-farming, which will create jobs for unemployed youth. The officials, meeting in Cameroon, said their goal is to invest some of what they collectively spend on importing fish each year, and put that funding into developing local fish farms. They hope to re-direct to local fish farmers a large amount of the $7 billion spent annually on importing seafood.