Resources

Congo Marine

Congolese territorial waters and coastline are important migration, breeding, and feeding grounds for many species of rays, sharks, whales, dolphins, and turtles. In 2023, the government created the country's first three Marine Protected Areas to conserve these key habitats. 

Photo credit : Clément Kolopp

Loango Bay, now a marine protected area, is an important spawning ground, with a local community that depends on artisanal fishing for their livelihood. 

Photo credit : Clément Kolopp

In WCS Gulf of Guinea landscape, which covers the territorial waters of Congo and Gabon, the livelihoods of nearly 500,000 people are threatened by illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing. 

Photo credit : Clément Kolopp

In 2022, 92% of communities surveyed by the WCS reported being impacted by declining artisanal fishing catches. Over the previous 20 years, the number of trawlers had increased exponentially. 

Photo credit : Clément Kolopp

Located south of Pointe-Noire, Congo's second largest city, Mvassa Bay has become a Marine Protected Area, as an important nesting site for turtles. 

Photo credit : Clément Kolopp

On Songolo beach, artisanal fishermen unload their catch to supply local markets, in the shadow of port and oil infrastructure, whose pollution is another factor contributing to the degradation of these particularly productive waters. 

Photo credit : Clément Kolopp

Reduced catches threaten the food security of local communities, who resort to catching protected species and juveniles, exacerbating the risk to many species, particularly sharks and rays. 

Photo credit : Clément Kolopp

In 2022, 81% of rays and sharks found in fishermen's nets were endangered species. 

Photo credit : Clément Kolopp