Impacts on local communities
Environmental pollution
The two main issues which can arise from the operation of a fishmeal plant are: 1) discharge of wastewater polluted with organic matter (‘stick water’), and 2) discharge of smoke and objectionable smells. Management and control of these potential discharges into the environment by the fishmeal factories in also part of the function of ONISPA.
As part of their licence to operate, a fishmeal factory in Mauritania must agree to conform to a ‘cahier de charge’ (operating requirements). These cahiers de charge require suitable wastewater and odour treatment, and more generally that the factory be constructed with to the latest norms and standards in terms of environmental protection.
In terms of wastewater, the factories either have their own treatment plants, or can direct water water to a central factory which treats it on a commercial basis. These plants should extract the organic matter from the water and reinject it back into the fishmeal production process, leaving water which is sufficiently clean to be discharged. To reduce air pollution, the factories should have a ceramic filter on their chimneys.
Another, more intractable, issue in Nouadhibou is disposal of plastic waste. In fact, the city does not have a satisfactory system at present for disposal of plastic waste, which visitors will note is ubiquitous in the backstreets and along the shoreline, particularly around the artisanal fishing port.
The fish meal and fish oil (FMFO) industry in Mauritania, while significant for economic activity, is managed in a way that mitigates risks to local food security. Several measures aim to ensure continued or improved access to fish for the local and regional population.
1. Regulated Quotas and Species Allocation: Since 2018, Mauritania has enforced quotas specifically for small pelagic fish, which are a main source of FMFO. This regulation ensures that a significant proportion of these fish are directed towards human consumption rather than industrial use. For instance, 100% of sardinellas and 20% of sardines must go to freezing units for human consumption; only the remaining sardines and unfit fish can be processed into FMFO. Enforcement of these rules has improved over time. The effect of this policy can be seen in the data on the quantities of fish frozen vs converted to fishmeal:
Quantity and value of small pelagic fish frozen on land (data from IMROP)
Fishmeal and fish oil production (t)
2. Onsite Controls and Inspections: The fishery sector is closely monitored, with various controls at different stages—vessel registration, landing authorizations, and inspections by both the coast guard and ONISPA (National Office of Inspection Sanitary of Fishery Products and Aquaculture). These measures ensure compliance with quotas and proper allocation of fish either to human consumption or FMFO production, based on their quality and condition.
3. Social Support Measures: To support the most vulnerable, the National Society for Fish Distribution (SNDP) distributes free fish, sourced from a mandatory contribution of 2% of catches from fishing boats (in fish or money, according to SNDP requirements). This initiative directly combats food insecurity among the poorest segments of the population.
Although the majority of fishmeal production in Mauritania is from sardine, the species where there is a risk of competition between fishmeal and human consumption is the sardinella species, because sardinella has traditionally been the main regional source of cheap protein from fish, while sardine (which does not occur further south than northern Mauritania) is not part of the traditional west African fishery and is not really accepted on the market (as evidenced by the fact that SDNP will not accept sardine for distribution).
The impact of the fishmeal industry and the above management measures on the price and availability of sardinella on the local and regional market is not straightforward to evaluate. This is because there is a range of factors which impact on the price of fish on the local market – particularly the cost of fuel and other inputs for fishing vessels, which has increased in Mauritania as elsewhere. It is difficult to evaluate the extent to which fishmeal production has directly driven the increase in sardinella price, vs the reduced availability of round sardinella due to poor stock status, the increased cost of inputs such as fuel, or changes to the regulations (e.g. changes to the zoning in 2022 which pushed larger vessels offshore, reducing their access to more coastal stocks such as flat sardinella).
Food security
Human rights
At the initiative of the Global Roundtable on Marine Ingredients (a sector wide, multi-stakeholder initiative), a Human Rights Impact Assessment of the fishmeal industry and small pelagics fishery (including artisanal) was conducted by the NGO Partner Africa in 2023.
The FIP received a grant for a joint project between IMROP and Partner Africa to convert the audit report into an action plan (in the same way that MarinTrust and MSC evaluations are used to design the FIP work plan).
This project started in January 2024. Key social aspects include, among others: access to the resource for each fleet, including artisanal ones, and for each buyer, including local consumption markets; waste management and pollution control of factories; and the management of working conditions on board and in factories.