In the Benin coastal waters, namely Lake Nokoue, Porto-Novo Lagoon, Coastal Lagoon and Lake Aheme covering about 11,768 Km² and belonging to Benin Ramsar sites, shellfisheries constitute an important component of mangrove fisheries and provide substantial revenues for grassroots, mainly women shellfishers. The current study was undertaken to assess and document shellfisheries and mangrove status. Surveys were conducted with the shellfishers in coastal villages. Other stakeholders such as researchers, government and NGOs were interviewed.

Shellfisheries involve mainly women aged 13-75 years. Shellfisheries in coastal areas include activities such as culture, harvesting, transportation, processing, retailing/marketing, and consumption. The most common shellfish exploited were Crassostrea tulipa (mangrove oyster), Achatina achatina (giant snail), Tympanotonus fuscatus (small gastropod), Cardiosoma armatum (Wetland crab), Callinectes sp (Lagoon crab) and Penaeus sp (Shrimp). Shellfish meats are sold fresh, fried, and smoked and monthly revenue from shellfishing ranged between $74-$480 ($252±142).

Mangrove degradation and seasonal/periodic flooding were the main threat for the shellfisheries. Overall, the Benin fisheries law explicitly allows for co-management through delegation of authority including to fisher associations. Holistic and community-based approaches including ecological/biological research, law reinforcement, governance regimes, climatic factors, mangrove forest protection and restoration, ecosystem monitoring, shellfish farming improvement, and marketing are required for the sustainable exploitation of shellfishes.

To improve women’s shellfisheries livelihoods and working conditions, and mangrove health in Benin, stakeholders articulated the following recommendations:

• Respect the various fisheries and environmental laws and regulations

• Raise awareness on the policies available for mangrove protection

• Protect the mangrove habitat

• Promote environmental education

• Sensitize fishermen on the roles of mangroves and the necessity to protect them

• Provide capacity building for all stakeholders on sustainable use of mangrove ecosystems

• Organize men and women shellfishers into associations

• Regulate shellfish collection, including through co-management frameworks

• Implement a shellfisheries inventory

• Conduct research on shellfish habitat conservation

• Implement ecological research

• Research oyster mortality during flooding - depict the cause of mortalities during flooding

• Develop and promote shellfish farming

• Avoid fishing by fishermen in oyster culture areas

• Modernize shellfishing techniques 

• Provide technical assistance and financial aid (training, materials, funds) to resource users and other stakeholders to facilitate improved and sustainable shellfisheries harvesting, processing, and sales

• Train women (and men) shellfishers to adopt good practices to preserve the environment and their health.

• Develop shellfisheries value chains for the valorization of products to increase value added and income, especially for women. This can be achieved by training women in hygienic processing methods, improving the presentation of products, and seeking out markets for their sale

• Promote shellfish sales in hotels and restaurants

• Encourage shellfish consumption on a large scale

• Promote other livelihood activities so that the oysters and mangroves will be restored