Managing Beach Seine Impacts and Opportunities in Togo

Overview & Synopsis

Beach seine fishing sustains roughly 2,000 livelihoods along Togo's coastline, but operates under growing pressure from overexploited fish stocks, weak governance, and severe coastal erosion. This World Bank report examines how coastal protection infrastructure - particularly rock groynes built under the West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program (WACA) - interacts with this traditional fishery. Field evidence shows fishers have largely adapted to these structures. The real threats lie elsewhere: juvenile overfishing, phosphate pollution, and plastic waste. Balancing livelihoods with sustainability demands integrated coastal management and stronger enforcement.