Historical ties shape fisheries research in West Africa

Abstract Marine fisheries, including industrial and small-scale fisheries, are a crucial sector for the food security and livelihoods of coastal communities in West Africa, as well as for global fish exports. Despite its significant social, economic and ecological impact, fisheries research in West Africa has been underrepresented in global fishery science and not aligned with the local needs. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive regional and country-specific analyses of fisheries science in West Africa through bibliometric and Large Language Models approaches based on 568 publications. Our results indicate that research is unevenly distributed in terms of both the countries contributing to it and the geographical areas covered. South Africa and Senegal are the main research hubs on fisheries, while significant gaps persist along the north-eastern coast and in the Gulf of Guinea. Geopolitical patterns were observed between European states and their former colonies, which may have led to a greater research focus on policy and socioeconomics. Some research topics have emerged in recent decades, such as maritime crimes and the human dimensions of fisheries, while others, like stock assessments and ecosystem-based approaches, continue to receive relatively little attention. Finally, future research directions in fisheries science are recommended based on the Ocean Decade priority actions that align with the local needs and capacities of West African countries. Graphical abstract