FAO strengthens its support to Mozambique in the fight against IUU fishing
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) undertook a 5 days’ mission to Mozambique, between the 14 – 18 November 2022, to assist the country in the implementation of the 2009 FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) and complementary instruments to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The mission, held under the Swedish funded project GCP/INT/313/SWE, was successful in achieving all its objectives of: formally presenting to the Technical Council of the National Institute of the Sea (INAMAR, IP) the MCS Policy and Strategy for its implementation (2023-2033) and the National Plan of Action against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (2023-2027) for appropriation and submission to the Ministry of the Sea, Internal Waters and Fisheries (MIMAIP) for approval; presenting the final versions of the draft Statutes and Regulations for Fisheries Inspectors and the revised version of the Fishing Infraction Procedures; meeting with the national authorities responsible for combating IUU fishing, undertaking a diagnosis of their databases and advising on the proposed Regulation of the Centre for the Coordination of Maritime Inspection Operations (CEFMAR), the new inter-agency mechanism; and defining the training modules for fisheries inspectors and judges and prosecutors.
During the mission, the FAO team presented the main deliverables to the Deputy Minister of MIMAIP and to the Technical Council of INAMAR, IP.
The FAO team met with the representatives of the National Inspection of Economic Activities, customs, navy, coastal, lake and river Police and the National Administration of Fisheries, and provided advice on setting up the mechanism of coordination and cooperation (CEFMAR) and for the exchange of information and knowledge among them.
Training needs for fisheries inspectors were identified and it was agreed to assist the Judiciary Training Centre in both the development of the curriculum and the training for maritime judges and prosecutors which will be capacitated next year to operationalise the maritime courts.
A roadmap was agreed with the CEO of INAMAR, IP regarding the activities to be concluded in 2023.