As Africa continues to experience rapid population growth and urbanization, the demand for affordable, nutritious (protein-rich), and sustainable food sources intensifies. The growing population and rising income levels in Africa have been major drivers behind the surging demand for fish on the continent.

The African continent experienced the highest growth rate in aquaculture since 2000 of all regions of the world, increasing by a factor of 5.6 to reach 2.5 million metric tons (MT) in 2022. Despite this recent growth, Africa's contribution to global aquaculture production remains small compared to Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The growing demand for fish has been further accelerated by the growing recognition of the health benefits of fish consumption, as well as changes in lifestyles and preferences associated with rapid urbanization and globalization.

The fisheries and aquaculture sector can be an important driver of economic growth, creating employment and facilitating trade and with significant potential for improving livelihoods, reducing poverty, and fostering rural development.

The 15th Malabo Montpellier Panel report — FISH-FRIENDLY: Policy Innovations for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa — focuses on successful approaches, institutional, policy, and technical innovations, as well as programmatic interventions implemented by African countries to enhance the role of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the transformation of food systems.

It reviews the current state of Africa's fisheries and aquaculture sector, its continental and global policy frameworks, and its strategy priorities. The report includes four country case studies on Ghana, Malawi, Morrocco, and Mozambique – countries that have shown success and progress in growing their fisheries and aquaculture sector. Their experiences are noteworthy for adoption and scaling by other African countries.