Incatema Consulting & Engineering will provide technical assistance to the Indian Ocean Commission to start up the ECOFISH programme for the promotion of sustainable fishing and the blue economy

9 August, 2019

Incatema Consulting & Engineering is leading the consortium of European companies that has been awarded the Technical Assistance contract for development of the ECOFISH programme in the Western Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region. This programme is funded by the European Union and is managed from the Delegation of the EU to Mauritius and the Seychelles with the objective of supporting sustainable management of fisheries in the zone for contribution to the population’s nutritional and food safety, improvement of marine biodiversity and poverty reduction in coastal communities.

The contract, amounting to 2.6 million euros, involves the consortium led by Incatema (also comprising the companies AECOM International Development Europe and Agriconsulting Europe) providing technical assistance to the Indian Ocean Commission to achieve the three priority objectives of E€OFISH: reinforcing existing institutional frameworks and public policies for Fisheries in the region; increasing the capacity of local organisations to prevent, control and eliminate illegal fishing, and implementing new good governance and management initiatives in respect of continental and marine fishing.

At the same time, to achieve these goals, Incatema will collaborate with regional organisations for marine and continental fishing, such as the International Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC), the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation or Lake Tanganyika Authority.

Creation of a Pan African Regional Surveillance Platform for the eradication of illegal fishing

With a view to eradicating illegal marine and continental fishing in the zone, the ECOFISH programme contemplates, among other actions, implementing a Regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Platform intended to become a genuine Pan African surveillance centre.

To this effect, the consortium led by Incatema will collaborate in the preparation of Good Practices guides and manuals for fisheries observers and inspectors; develop awareness campaigns to eradicate illegal practices; study the implantation of new technologies for fishing surveillance, and work with local organisations to reinforce their skills and the coordination between them.

Through these actions, Incatema Consulting & Engineering once more furthers its collaboration in programmes that contribute to improving the quality of life of the poorest, guaranteeing the sustainability of natural resources and environmental protection.