WAVES OF DISPLACEMENT: THE INFORMAL BLUE ECONOMY & AFRICA'S FISHING COMMUNITIES

Fishing communities across Africa are facing increasing threats from displacement, exclusionary economic policies, and poorly designed taxation systems.

Camps that have existed for generations are being demolished without compensation, depriving fisherfolk of meaningful livelihoods and forcing many into poverty. Simultaneously, formalization efforts often introduce burdensome taxation without adequate support or consultation, fueling fear and instability.

"Waves of Displacement: The Informal Blue Economy & Africa’s Fishing Communities" is a feature-length documentary that explores the lives, struggles, and resilience of artisanal fishing communities across Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroun and Mauritania.

As urbanisation, industrial fishing, and blue economy initiatives intensify, small-scale fishers—custodians of marine heritage and local food systems—are increasingly displaced, excluded, and marginalized. This film aims to humanize their stories, interrogate extractive policies, and amplify calls for justice and sustainability.

With powerful visuals and authentic storytelling, the documentary will serve as both an advocacy tool and a cultural archive.