World Fisheries Day: Incatema proposes measures for supporting the work of fishermen and women through the ECOFISH programme

26 January, 2023

World Fisheries Day is celebrated in tribute to all the men and women who engage in the fishing industry, whether professionally or as a hobby, for commercial or subsistence purposes. The aim of this event is to acknowledge the work of fishermen and women and their harsh working conditions at sea, with long working days and the risk inherent to the trade.

Incatema, through the European ECOFISH programme, to which it provides technical assistance, pays tribute to all fishermen and women for whom fishing is a livelihood, especially in their fight against illegal fishing in the region of Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean.

The actions carried out by the ECOFISH programme include, namely:

• The creation of a platform for disseminating sustainable fishing models, whose beneficiaries are Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar.

• The introduction of technological innovations in traditional fishing in Mauritius to guarantee its sustainability, such as fish aggregating devices, which allow artisanal fishermen and women to carry out their activity in a safer, more productive and sustainable way.

• Support to the Open University of Mauritius in the creation of a Degree in Blue Economy, with the aim of training professionals from the countries included in the programmes.

World Fisheries Day is a good initiative for showcasing the work of the fishermen and women for whom fishing is a livelihood, particularly in those countries where access to quality protein depends largely on fishery resources. It is therefore essential to adopt measures to help combat illegal fishing, while promoting initiatives for properly training fishermen and women and placing technologies at their disposal that will help them in their daily activities.