The Gulf of Guinea (GoG) and Cameroon, like many coastal regions worldwide, face mounting threats to marine biodiversity due to both natural and human-induced factors. Among the primary challenges are pollution from industrial and domestic sources, habitat destruction caused by coastal development, the introduction of invasive species, unsustainable fishing practices, and the broader impacts of climate change. These threats collectively endanger marine ecosystems, disrupt food chains, and reduce biodiversity, posing long-term risks to economic and environmental stability. This article examines these pressing issues while highlighting the legal frameworks – both international and domestic – that have been established to protect marine biodiversity. Although several policies and treaties exist to regulate marine conservation, challenges, such as gaps in implementation, weak enforcement mechanisms, and conflicts between economic growth and environmental protection continue to hinder progress. Cameroon serves as a case study to illustrate how legal shortcomings, ineffective governance, and limited institutional capacity contribute to ongoing biodiversity loss. The discussion underscores the need for stronger legal reforms, enhanced enforcement strategies, and regional cooperation among the Gulf of Guinea nations. By addressing these deficiencies, policymakers can work towards a more sustainable approach to marine conservation, ensuring the long-term health of marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.

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1. Subsection A, Ships RA. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
2. Biológica-CBD CP. Convention on Biological Diversity. Nações Unidas; 1992.
3. Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection, and Sustainable Development (MINEPDED), Cameroon. Environmental management plan for the coastal zone of Cameroon. 2020.
4. Scheren PA, Ibe AC, Janssen FJ, Lemmens AM. Environmental pollution in the Gulf of Guinea–a regional approach. Mar Pollut Bull. 2002;44(7):633–641.
5. Polidoro BA, Ralph GM, Strongin K, Harvey M, Carpenter KE, Arnold R, et al. The status of marine biodiversity in the Eastern Central Atlantic (West and Central Africa). Aquat Conserv. 2017;27(5):1021–1034.
6. Steell SC, Van Leeuwen TE, Brownscombe JW, Cooke SJ, Eliason EJ. An appetite for invasion: Digestive physiology, thermal performance and food intake in lionfish (Pterois spp.). J Exp Biol. 2019;222(19):jeb209437.
7. Druel E, Gjerde KM. Sustaining marine life beyond boundaries: options for an implementing agreement for marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Mar Policy. 2014;49:90–97.
8. Ukwe CN, Ibe CA. A regional collaborative approach in transboundary pollution management in the Guinea Current region of western Africa. Ocean Coast Manag. 2010;53(9):493–506.
9. Andrews N, Bennett NJ, Le Billon P, Green SJ, Cisneros-Montemayor AM, Amongin S, et al. Oil, fisheries and coastal communities: A review of impacts on the environment, livelihoods, space and governance. Energy Res Soc Sci. 2021;75:102009.
10. Anthony NM, Atteke C, Bruford MW, Dallmeier F, Freedman A, Hardy O, et al. Evolution and conservation of Central African biodiversity: Priorities for future research and education in the Congo Basin and Gulf of Guinea. Biotropica. 2015;47(1):6–17.

The Gulf of Guinea (GoG) and Cameroon, like many coastal regions worldwide, face mounting threats to marine biodiversity due to both natural and human-induced factors. Among the primary challenges are pollution from industrial and domestic sources, habitat destruction caused by coastal development, the introduction of invasive species, unsustainable fishing practices, and the broader impacts of climate change. These threats collectively endanger marine ecosystems, disrupt food chains, and reduce biodiversity, posing long-term risks to economic and environmental stability. This article examines these pressing issues while highlighting the legal frameworks – both international and domestic – that have been established to protect marine biodiversity. Although several policies and treaties exist to regulate marine conservation, challenges, such as gaps in implementation, weak enforcement mechanisms, and conflicts between economic growth and environmental protection continue to hinder progress. Cameroon serves as a case study to illustrate how legal shortcomings, ineffective governance, and limited institutional capacity contribute to ongoing biodiversity loss. The discussion underscores the need for stronger legal reforms, enhanced enforcement strategies, and regional cooperation among the Gulf of Guinea nations. By addressing these deficiencies, policymakers can work towards a more sustainable approach to marine conservation, ensuring the long-term health of marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Subsection A, Ships RA. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
2. Biológica-CBD CP. Convention on Biological Diversity. Nações Unidas; 1992.
3. Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection, and Sustainable Development (MINEPDED), Cameroon. Environmental management plan for the coastal zone of Cameroon. 2020.
4. Scheren PA, Ibe AC, Janssen FJ, Lemmens AM. Environmental pollution in the Gulf of Guinea–a regional approach. Mar Pollut Bull. 2002;44(7):633–641.
5. Polidoro BA, Ralph GM, Strongin K, Harvey M, Carpenter KE, Arnold R, et al. The status of marine biodiversity in the Eastern Central Atlantic (West and Central Africa). Aquat Conserv. 2017;27(5):1021–1034.
6. Steell SC, Van Leeuwen TE, Brownscombe JW, Cooke SJ, Eliason EJ. An appetite for invasion: Digestive physiology, thermal performance and food intake in lionfish (Pterois spp.). J Exp Biol. 2019;222(19):jeb209437.
7. Druel E, Gjerde KM. Sustaining marine life beyond boundaries: options for an implementing agreement for marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Mar Policy. 2014;49:90–97.
8. Ukwe CN, Ibe CA. A regional collaborative approach in transboundary pollution management in the Guinea Current region of western Africa. Ocean Coast Manag. 2010;53(9):493–506.
9. Andrews N, Bennett NJ, Le Billon P, Green SJ, Cisneros-Montemayor AM, Amongin S, et al. Oil, fisheries and coastal communities: A review of impacts on the environment, livelihoods, space and governance. Energy Res Soc Sci. 2021;75:102009.
10. Anthony NM, Atteke C, Bruford MW, Dallmeier F, Freedman A, Hardy O, et al. Evolution and conservation of Central African biodiversity: Priorities for future research and education in the Congo Basin and Gulf of Guinea. Biotropica. 2015;47(1):6–17.