7 November, 2024
Incatema has extended the technical assistance contract signed with the Delegation of the European Union in Mauritius and Seychelles to continue supporting the EU-funded ECOFISH program in the East Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean regions.
Through ECOFISH, which started its activity in 2019, Incatema is carrying out actions to support the sustainable management of fishery resources in this region of Africa in order to contribute to the food and nutritional security of the population, the improvement of the marine biodiversity and the reduction of poverty in coastal communities. In addition, through ECOFISH, we are working to strengthen regional capacity to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
In this regard, the work carried out by Incatema to involve institutions such as the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), with which ECOFISH signed a memorandum of understanding to support the training of fisheries inspectors in the program’s beneficiary countries, or the Open University of Mauritius, where a new degree in Blue Economy has been launched to train new professionals in the region on the management of fishery resources from both a biological and socioeconomic perspective, stands out.
According to Mr Alejandro Tiana, head of the ECOFISH project at Incatema, the extension of the contract that the company has just signed “will allow us, in addition to supporting the Open University of Mauritius in the provision of training under the Blue economy degree, to replicate similar programs in other universities in the region, and even develop a master’s degree that will increase the educational offer in Blue economy and fisheries, improving the skills of present and future public managers”.
The Regional Observatory for Adaptation to Climate Change or the reduction of illegal fishing infractions, among the main achievements of ECOFISH
Among the main achievements of the ECOFISH program is the launch of the Regional Observatory dedicated to studying the impact of climate change on the fisheries sector, a decisive milestone in regional cooperation to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on fisheries and coastal communities.
In addition, illegal fishing infractions recorded during fisheries’ surveillance missions promoted by ECOFISH have decreased significantly over the last 5 years. This milestone reflects, on the one hand, the improved adoption of good governance principles by the various governments and, on the other hand, better compliance by fishermen with the rules governing the 7.23 million km2 km of the shared fishing area, thanks mainly to the training provided to them on sustainable fishing. ECOFISH will continue to collaborate in the delivery of security and surveillance equipment with the most modern technology so that the region can continue to improve its capacity to control illegal fishing.
The coastal inland and marine fishery resources of the East Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean regions represent a natural wealth of approximately 50 billion euros. Incatema will therefore continue to contribute to the sustainable management of these assets by implementing policies to manage them effectively, protecting them and promoting good fishing practices.