Policy Orientation Paper: Regional MCS Systems for Protection of Aquatic Biodiversity and Environment towards healthy ecosystems and fish stocks in the IGAD Region

Abstract

Aquatic ecosystems across the IGAD region, encompassing the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Western Indian Ocean, major inland lakes such as Victoria and Turkana, and extensive transboundary river basins including the Nile, represent a critical foundation for food security, livelihoods, employment, and economic growth. These ecosystems support millions of people directly and indirectly through fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, and ecosystem services, while also contributing significantly to national economies and regional stability. However, their sustainability is increasingly under threat from a combination of anthropogenic and environmental pressures, most notably Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, habitat degradation, pollution, invasive species, and the accelerating impacts of climate change.