The Sixth Meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Technical Team for the Fisheries Regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre was held via video conference on 26 May 2020.

The meeting was attended by twelve participants representing four SADC Member States of Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia; as well as representatives of the Benguela Current Convention, Nelson Mandela University, SADC Secretariat, SIF and WWF.

The meeting focussed on progressing the adoption of a regional MCS strategy and the development of cooperation and partnerships to build capacity within the SADC region.

Per Erik Bergh, Stop Illegal Fishing, said, “COVID-19 has led to many challenges for the monitoring and control of fishing activity with reduced on the ground capacity and the suspension of many regional observer programmes. We welcome the ongoing activities that contribute to the establishment and operationalisation of the SADC MCSCC. This centre is critical to enhanced efforts to end illegal fishing in the SADC region.”