Maritime security and the securitisation of fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea: experiences from Cameroon

Since the 2000s, maritime security threats in Gulf of Guinea region have been growing international concern. In many countries, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is one such problem with negative impacts on environmental, food national links wider crime. Focussing Cameroon, this article argues that there has a securitisation fisheries sector within broader context changes governance Guinea. The examines process implications Cameroon’s sector. Using documents, direct observations, in-depth interviews state agents actors civil society organisations (CSOs), illustrates how was securitised through range linguistic, institutional, structural mechanisms. institutional mechanisms were highly militarised increased deployment military forces monitoring, control surveillance fishery activities. These changes, concludes, subsequently diminished agency capacity non-military undermines their role cooperative efforts architecture now operates Cameroon.