I remember the first time I smelled the noxious smell that emanates from the fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) factory in Sanyang, The Gambia. It was February 8th, 2021. The smell was so invasive I had to wear a double surgical mask. It was during the height of COVID-19, and even that offered little relief. The smell, reminiscent of a rotten egg but 10 times more pungent, was unlike anything I had experienced before. A community member from Sanyang further reiterated the invasiveness and health consequences of the smell from the factory:
I always feel uncomfortable when the factory operates; I was even sick because of it… I could not eat for four days because one night the smell was so bad that everything was swollen in there [points to throat], and I could not put anything in my mouth and swallow. I even thought I had Covid-19 because I was so sick. But it was not Covid because my body reacts the same way whenever I am around and the factory is operating… it is true people get sick from this [FMFO production].
The quote above is not an uncommon sentiment. Béatrice (2022) found that air pollution from FMFO factories in Mauritania caused many pathologies, such as allergy, asthma, and respiratory issues. FMFO production generally expels various forms of gases that are harmful to human and animal health (Oyzarzun et al., 2019).
Smoke emissions from the FMFO factory in Gunjur, The Gambia.
Fishmeal and Fish Oil Production in The Gambia
FMFO production in The Gambia started in 2015 with three Chinese-Mauritanian factories in the coastal towns of Sanyang, Gunjur, and Kartong. These factories transform low-value wild-caught fish into fishmeal and unrefined fish oil, catering to transnational aquaculture farms, other mega farms, and pharmaceutical industries. Although any type of fish species can be used to produce FMFO, the industry primarily targets small pelagic fish species such as bonga (Ethmalosa fimbriata), yaboi tass (Madeiran sardinella), and yaboi moroc (Sardinella aurita).
The emergence of Chinese-Mauritanian FMFO factories in The Gambia exemplifies how transnational political economy dynamics can impact local health. FMFO factories operate within a capitalist logic that privileges foreign capital and export-oriented industries, which often conflicts with local community well-being. From a blue justice lens,[1] coastal communities are disproportionately affected by health issues resulting from FMFO production. Communities in coastal Gambia protest and blame the factories for several socio-environmental issues, such as limited access to fish, air pollution, and toxic waste disposal. Therefore, a central blue justice concern that the Gambian state must address is the use of low-value critical resources by FMFO factories to produce high-value commodities for global markets.
Redirecting Nutrition: Fish for Feed and Pharmaceuticals, Not Food
Small pelagic fish species such as bonga and sardinella have been vital to Gambians’ diets for a long time, providing low-cost sources of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and other essential nutrients (Jobe, 2023). However, the expansion of FMFO production has redirected these nutrient-rich and low-value species away from local consumption into global supply chains. This shift has contributed to the rise of fish in local markets, disproportionately affecting low-income households and women who rely on artisanal fishing and fish processing for both nutrition and income.
Fisherfolk transporting/supplying fish to the FMFO factory in Gunjur, The Gambia.
Fishmeal factories processed on average 3,698 tons (29% of the total processed fish) and 16,642 tons of small pelagic fish (31%) in 2018 (Acosta-Alba et al. 2022). The redirection of low-cost and nutrient-dense fish species has resulted in food insecurity and increased vulnerability to nutrient-deficient-related health issues. The national decline in small pelagic fish availability has raised serious food insecurity concerns. Between 2015 and 2020, the percentage of food-insecure individuals in The Gambia rose from 5% to 8% (Avadí et al., 2020). Many participants attributed this trend to the overexploitation of small pelagic fish by fishmeal factories, which has made fish increasingly scarce and unaffordable in local markets. A former fish trader told me:
…seeing bonga fish here in large amounts, being destroyed without preserving it…is something Gambians should never allow because every Gambian needs bonga fish. And for most Gambians, bonga is the only type of fish they can afford…and the whole country needs it. It should be available for the whole country. The government failed us.
From a food sovereignty perspective, this transformation exemplifies a loss of community control over food systems and heightened disconnect between local marine resources and public health outcomes.
Environmental Pollution and Public Health
FMFO production causes several pollution concerns, including air pollution and water pollution, and their ensuing health issues. Generally, people tend to accept the odorous nature of fish. However, pollution by malodors from FMFO factories triggers discomfort and health effects, such as respiratory health problems (Claeson et al. 2013). Besides causing air pollution and noxious smells, fishmeal production generates wastewater that bears a high organic load that should not be discharged without a suitable treatment plan (Osuna-Ramírez et al. 2017). Organic wastes and chemicals released into the air and water bodies during FMFO processing affect the quality of water, marine life, and health conditions of the coastal communities. For instance, the smoke causes many health concerns, including allergies, asthma, and other respiratory disorders, especially in children and people with chronic diseases. Some asthmatic community members blame the factories for worsening asthma symptoms in coastal Gambia. A community member and beach lodge owner noted that he had to let go of an asthmatic employee because of the factory:
…I had an employee here who collapsed because of this [the operations of the factories] …Eventually we realized that it was the smell [from the factory] that caused the asthma to attack her, and we had to let her go.
From a blue justice perspective, the noxious smell that emanates from the fishmeal factories represents unequal distribution of environmental harms, as the factories subject marginalized communities in rural Gambia to chronic health risks and diminish their quality of life. The health concerns are not isolated; they reflect deeper systemic injustices tied to the global economic and weak regulatory structures. To address them, we must think of a blue justice approach that centers equity, sustainability, and community agency.
Calling on a Blue Justice Approach to FMFO production in The Gambia
The health consequences of FMFO production in The Gambia, from food insecurity to respiration issues, are deeply rooted in structural injustices. These include the transnational fluidity of capital invested in factories, weak environmental regulations, and the marginalization of coastal communities in decision-making processes. The Gambian state must address the socio-environmental impacts of FMFO production through three systemic changes:
- Conduct comprehensive environmental and social impact assessment (ESIAs) on existing and planned FMFO factories is vital to attain sustainable development and ensure local community well-being.
- Mandate more sustainable FMFO production methods that reduce dependence on wild-caught fisheries. These may include using fish by-products (e.g., heads and trimmings), upcycling aquaculture waste, and incorporating plant-based ingredients such as soy or microalgae.
- Strengthen community-based fisheries management, including exploring ownership models that empower local communities. Partial or full community ownership of sustainable FMFO factories would give residents a stake in decision-making and profits, fostering long-term accountability and success.
References
Acosta-Alba, I., Béatrice, C., & Oumar, S. (2022). The fishmeal industry in West Africa: Impacts on fisheries and food security. Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements (CFFA).
Béatrice, C. (2022). Air pollution and health impacts of fishmeal factories in Mauritania. Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements (CFFA).
Claeson, A.-S., Sandström, M., & Sunesson, A.-L. (2013). Exposure to malodorous compounds and health effects: A review. Environmental Health, 12(1), 76. https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-069X-12-76
Jobe, F. H. (2023). Fishmeal Production and the Dispossession of Women in The Gambia. Feminist Africa, 4(1), 43–73.
Osuna-Ramírez, I., et al. (2017). Wastewater treatment in fishmeal production: Environmental implications and solutions. Journal of Environmental Management, 203, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.07.001
Oyarzún, C., et al. (2019). Health and environmental risks of fishmeal production. Marine Policy, 104, 123–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2019.02.005
[1] Blue justice is often defined as “the recognition, meaningful involvement, and fair treatment of all coastal people with respect to how ocean and coastal resources are accessed, used, managed and enjoyed” (Blythe et al. 2023).