Guinea has significant commercial fishing and aquaculture potential composed of four large groups of species: pelagic fish, demersal fish, cephalopods, and shrimps.

Guinea has a coastline of more than 300 km and a continental shelf among the largest in West Africa extending beyond 80 nautical miles offshore. Potential water-controlled land is estimated at 520,000 ha of which 140 000 ha in mangrove and mangrove hinterland, 200,000 ha of alluvial floodplains. The main missions of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture include:

-          Ensuring the coherence of public and private interventions

-          Establishing a business-friendly climate

-          Promoting the financing of private businesses

-          Ensuring a sustainable management of resources

-          Boosting information systems in the sector (biological, social, economic, environmental data).

National fisheries and aquaculture policy is based on three (3) strategic axes:

Axis 1: Strengthening institutional and professional capacities;

Axis 2: Ensuring a sustainable management of water resources;

Axis 3: Adding value to fisheries and aquaculture catches.

Current situation

The fishery sector has been identified as a potential source for the country's economic growth to reduce poverty in both urban and rural areas and to ensure food security by meeting the population’s animal protein needs.

The fishery and aquaculture sector is developed mainly by the private sector united under the umbrella an organization called the National Confederation of Professional Fishermen (CONAPEG).

The President of Guinea, His Excellency Professor Alpha CONDE, has instructed the implementation "of a strategic plan to enhance fishery resources."

It is in this context that the business climate has improved significantly with reformed legal tools being used (amended sea fisheries, inland fisheries and aquaculture code).

Competitive advantages

-          Very large quantity of pelagic fish stocks underexploited;

-          Ability to strengthen the sector's contribution to national goals through coherent regulations; technology transfer, improved land-based industries;

-          Possibility of improving the regulations in the sector: setting up professional organizations; participatory processes and institutions;

-          Expansion of inland fisheries and aquaculture;

-          Role of artisanal fisheries in the national economy (growth poles).

Opportunities in brief

-          Develop distribution and marketing channels in the domestic market;

-          Create a central fisheries supply point;

-          Promote the export of smoked fish;

-          Construct fish processing units that meet quality standards;

-          Build fish packaging materials plant.