EAF-Nansen Programme

EAF-Nansen Programme showcases achievements in sustainable fisheries management

02/11/2023

2 November 2023, Maputo, Mozambique – Marking over five years of fruitful collaboration, the EAF-Nansen Programme invited partners and stakeholders to Maputo, Mozambique for a Scientific Mini-Symposium followed by the final Programme Forum of its present phase. For four days, the participants shared experiences and explored what the future holds for the longstanding partnership between FAO and Norway.

“These events represent the culmination of the work that has been done to support the partner countries in their pursuit of improved food and nutrition security through sustainable fisheries management, while taking climate and pollution impacts into consideration,” said Merete Tandstad, EAF-Nansen Programme Coordinator.

The Mini-Symposium convened a technical audience for presentations and discussions on the scientific efforts made to provide data, information and knowledge in support of sustainable fisheries in an ecosystem context. The Forum focused on delivering the Programme’s achievements and results to representatives from partner countries and regional organizations, as well as members of the diplomatic community.

The Permanent Secretary of Mozambique’s Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries, Maria Ascensão Pinto, in her opening address at the Forum, reflected on the need to support sustainable management of marine resources.

“In Mozambique, the contribution of the artisanal fishing sub-sector represents more than 90% of the sector's total production. The involvement of women throughout the production chain is increasingly notable, particularly in fish processing and marketing activities, and our goal is to use its resources responsibly while protecting biodiversity for future generations,” she said.

Haakon Gram-Johannessen, the Ambassador of Norway to Mozambique, stressed the contributions of the Programme.

“As we continue our joint efforts, it is paramount that the data collected under the Nansen Programme is brought to use. This data offers a unique opportunity to influence national policy makers in assuming ownership towards evidence-based policies within fishery management,” he said.

The research vessel (R/V) Dr. Fridtjof Nansen is at the centre of the EAF-Nansen Programme, a partnership between FAO and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), Norway’s Institute of Marine Research (IMR), and 32 partner countries in Africa and the Bay of Bengal.

Per Andreas Windingstad Larsen, acting head of the Section for Oceans in Norad, noted the positive impacts of the well-established partnership between FAO and Norway in strengthening the capacities of fisheries institutions in partner countries.

“Norway and Norad have proudly supported the Nansen Programme for more than 45 years, and the joint efforts have increased our knowledge about the ocean, enabling partner countries to make well-informed decisions regarding the sustainable management of fisheries,” he said.

Since 2017, the vessel has had over 1 400 survey days, and about 800 researchers from 42 countrieshave taken part in ecosystem studies on board the research vessel R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, gaining valuable experience in terms of methods of appropriate data collection and sampling.  

“From analysing fish stocks, to studying elements of the ecosystems – marine environments, corals, sponges and jellyfish – to documenting plastic pollution and contributing to our knowledge on climate change and fish as food, the Programme has added volumes to our understanding of the ocean,” said FAO Representative in Mozambique, José Luis Fernandez.

In 2024, the EAF-Nansen Programme will embark on a new five-year journey, building on lessons learned during the current Programme period. Looking ahead, the Programme will have a stronger focus on fisheries management including the nexus between science and management, while strengthening linkages to the governance framework.

It will continue contributing to food and nutrition security and supporting partner countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of ongoing initiatives such as the UN Decade of Ocean Science, as well as FAO’s vision for Blue Transformation of aquatic food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all. 

About the EAF-Nansen Programme

The EAF-Nansen Programme is a partnership between FAO and Norad, IMR, regional organizations and partner countries in Africa and the Bay of Bengal, dating back to 1975. In total, the Programme has collaborated with 58 countries across Africa, Asia and South America, assisting them in both fisheries research and management. 

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