Illegal fishing is a global problem, but it is really rampant in the east central Atlantic Ocean, which covers the territorial waters of some 15 African countries from Morocco and Mauritania in the north to Angola in the south. Criminal activity is hitting the economy of some of the poorest West African nations hard. Guinea and Sierra Leone are most affected by this. According to the London-based Environmental Justice Foundation, illegal fishing in Africa is worst in Guinea’s waters.

Because of new large-scale plantations or infrastructure projects, many people are displaced from the land that their livelihood depends on. The worst affected people tend to belong to groups that are disadvantaged in other ways too. To improve matters, the UN has passed sensible voluntary guidelines on the tenure of land, forests and water.