MARINE FISHERY RESOURCES OF CAMEROON:
A REVIEW OF EXPLOITED FISH STOCKS

PROGRAMME FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FISHERIES
IN THE EASTERN CENTRAL ATLANTIC
FISHERY COMMITTEE FOR THE EASTERN CENTRAL ATLANTIC

CECAF/ECAF SERIES 87/44

G.W. Ssentongo
FAO Fisheries Department, Rome, Italy

and

J.C.Njock
Station de Recherches Halieutiques de Limbé, Cameroon

This document has been prepared with financial support from projects: INT/81/014 -Development of Fisheries in the Eastern Central Atlantic, and GCP/RAF/215/USA -Support to the CECAF Programme.

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Applications for such permission, with a statement of the purpose and extent of the reproduction, should be addressed to the Director, Publications Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 1987
© FAO

SUMMARY

Cameroon is located on the west coast of the wet forested Equatorial Africa.

The hydrographic regime of Cameroonian waters is characterized by the relatively stable thermocline, steep temperature gradient and stable oceanographic conditions below the mixed layer throughout the year. The Eastern Tropical Zone (ETZ) of the Gulf of Guinea from Cotonou (Benin) to Cape Lopez (Gabon) is not affected by seasonal upwelling. But even in this sector, the surface water temperatures are known to fluctuate between 25°C and 30°C. Seasonal changes are due to the effect of the monsoonal wet surface water salinities.

The multiple-stock fisheries are exploited by artisanal fishing units and industrial fleets (finfish trawlers and shrimpers). Both dugout and planked canoes of variable sizes are used by the artisanal fishery to operate a number of fishing gears: e.g., (a) drift net (waka-waka); (b) artisanal purse seine (watsha); (c) beach-seines (drawing chain); (d) cast net (mbunja); (e) conical shrimp nets (ngoto); (f) multifilament bottom-set gillnets (musobo net); and (g) hook and line.

The available data are not adequate to enable the use of conventional stock assessment techniques in assessing the yield potential of exploited species on the Cameroonian continental shelf, estuaries and creeks but preliminary estimates of potential yield made in the sixties indicated that the magnitudes were modest, and lower than the present combined annual catches of the industrial fleet (12 000–20 000 t) and the artisanal annual catches which amount to more than 20 000 t.

In August 1981, an acoustic survey was carried out in Cameroonian waters using R/V DR FRIDTJOF NANSEN. The survey covered a depth of 50–200 m and the acoustic results led to an estimated average density of about 60 t/n.mi². The biomass for the covered area was estimated at about 100 100 t, mostly coastal pelagic fish (bonga, sardine and shads).

The more recent analysis made using a global production model for the entire industrial fleet (trawlers and shrimpers) show an optimum yield of 19 000 t of demersal fish for an effort of 5 400 fishing days using a 400 HP vessel. The maximum yield potential for Penaeus notialis and Parapenaeopsis atlantica for Cameroon is possibly of the order of 500–1 000 t.

The establishment of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) provides Cameroon with an opportunity of controlling fishing and of managing rationally her fishable stocks. But there should be continuous monitoring of catches and catch rates in order to determine the surplus potential yield to be taken by additional fishing units. The concept of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) in spite of its shortcomings and drawbacks as a management objective would be the most useful index of available fishable stocks but its estimation needs reliable data with long time-series. The fishery managers are also faced with the difficulty of a multispecies fishery. Another acute problem facing the managers is the nature of conflicts between artisanal fishermen and the industrial fleets, jointly exploiting the demersal finfish and shrimp resources, particularly in the shallow inshore waters.

Rational management of fisheries could bring more nutritional, economic and social benefits to Cameroon. Whether or not these benefits can be realized in the near future will depend on the fishery administration's commitment to look for the best scientific solutions, establish appropriate policies and select the best fishery objective, collect the information required on various fisheries, carefully assess practicable management options and take the necessary action at the right time.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Food and Agriculture Organization is greatly indebted to the following organizations and individuals who assisted the authors by providing information, advice and facilities:

Dr E.D. Tebong, Director of the Institut de Recherches Zootechniques, Yaoundé, for assisting this study in various ways.
Dr Moukia Mbome, Director of Fisheries, Yaoundé for providing useful information on the fisheries of Cameroon.

and, in appreciation of useful discussions and exchange of data:

Dr Jean Daniel Ngoa Ngoupayou, Deputy Director of IRZ, Yaoundé;
Mr Dia Ndumbe Chief of Service of Research, IRZ, Yaoundé;
Dr Benedict Satia, Deputy Director of Fisheries, Yaoundé;
Dr B.A. Agborbesong, Délégué Provincial du Littoral, Elevage, Pêches et Industries Animales, Douala;
Mr M. Pokam, Chef du Service Statistique, Direction de Météorologie, Douala;
Mr S. Nounga Peknyemb, Chef Service Provincial des Pêches, Délégation Provinciale de l'Elevage des Pêches et des Industries animales du Littoral, Douala;
Mr R Atangana, Deputy Director, COTONNEC/CHALUTCAM, Douala;
Mr Sunday Akpan, a “Canoe Master”, Mabeta;
Mr Nouaho Ernest, Head Fisherman, Dockyard, Limbé;
Dr Flavius E. Ikome, Biologist, Station IRZ, Limbé;
Mr Theodore Djama, Biologist, Station IRZ, Limbé;
Mrs Lucy Nkumbe, Biologist, Station IRZ, Limbé;
Mr Victor Pouomogne, Ingénieur (Fish Culture), Eaux et Forêts, Limbé;
Mr Adamou Ndam, Statisticien, Directeur Météorologie, Douala; and
Mr Daniel Mekoula Dong, Secrétaire Permanent du Comité National de la FAO, Yaoundé.

Much of the information presented in this report is based on preliminary studies by J.C.Njock (Chef de station de Recherches Halieutiques de Limbé). The study has also greatly benefitted from the research activities of the staff of the Institut de Recherches Zootechniques (IRZ), Limbé. However, the presentation of material, the analysis, the conclusions, the management guidelines and options are the sole responsibility of the main co-author Mr G.W. Ssentongo. This publication does not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the Institut de Recherches Zootechniques (IRZ).

Hyperlinks to non-FAO Internet sites do not imply any official endorsement of or responsibility for the opinions, ideas, data or products presented at these locations, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. The sole purpose of links to non-FAO sites is to indicate further information available on related topics.

SUMMARY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. TOPOGRAPHY AND OCEANOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS

2.1 Topography

2.1.1 Bottom Types and Littoral Morphology

2.2 Oceanographic Conditions

2.2.1 Temperature, Salinity and Thermal Stratification

2.2.2 Water Masses

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE FISHERIES

3.1 Artisanal Fishery

3.1.1 Fishing Vessels and Gears