FAO supports Mozambique to develop new MCS Policy and Action Plan against IUU fishing
The Ministry of Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries (MIMAIP) of Mozambique, with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), held a National Workshop in which a new monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) Policy and Strategy and a new National Plan of Action to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Mozambique were presented and discussed.
A lively and participative debate of the two strategic instruments, facilitated by FAO, contributed to collect additional relevant information and improvement to the instruments. With the aim of having the two instruments officially approved and endorsed by MIMAIP this year, two Working Groups were established during the workshop which will start their work in the beginning of May.
Strengthening the MCS system through specific implementation strategies is a priority for Mozambique, which is highly committed in combatting IUU fishing. There are several challenges including the length of the country's coast, which is the second largest in eastern Africa after Somalia at around 2 700 kilometres.
“This shows that, in fact, the challenges are huge for us to face the fight against illegal fishing”, declared the Coordinator of the National Sea Institute, Leonild Chimarizene, noting that the country loses around 60 million dollars annually due to IUU fishing.
The Coordinator took the opportunity to thank FAO for the technical assistance provided to the Mozambican government, especially the National Sea Institute, so that the country could strengthen its capacities to combat IUU fishing, including through the review of the Policy, Legal and Institutional frameworks and the setting up of MCS tools.
“The fight against IUU fishing requires that we actually have a consolidated plan”, also warning of the existence of a “duly organized industry that practices illegal fishing” in Mozambique, he said.
The workshop, led by the National Sea Institute (INAMAR, I.P), was attended by various stakeholders in the fisheries sector including representatives from Proazul, Coastal, Lake and River Police, National Institute for Fish Inspection (INIP), and fishing ports from Beira and Nacala.
Background
Mozambique is one of 70 Parties to the 2009 Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing (PSMA), which entered into force on 5 June 2016. Mozambique signed the PSMA on 4 November 2010 and ratified it on 19 August 2014.
In this context, the Ministry of Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries, with the support of FAO and the involvement of all competent entities in the field of combating IUU fishing, prepared in 2017 and 2019 a Strategy and Action Plan for the implementation of the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA), Complementary International Instruments and Regional Mechanisms to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate IUU Fishing. The Strategy was endorsed by the Ministry of Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries on 18 August 2020 based on which a Work Plan of Assistance, financed by Sweden, was elaborated and endorsed on 15 May 2021. This Workshop is one of several activities covered by such Work Plan.