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European Union shows cooperation and commitment to Mozambique’s Port State Measures
EU Spanish owned purse seiner F/V UNO INTERTUNA, flagged to the Seychelles showed its support and commitment to Mozambique’s port state measures by sailing to Nacala port for the pre-fishing briefing and inspection by a team of four Mozambican Fisheries Inspectors on 3 March 2012.
Mozambique, the newest IOTC member as of this past month, has been implementing its own pre-fishing briefing and inspection procedures for more than one year. The Japanese fleet licensed to fish in Mozambique’s exclusive economic zone have been undergoing such pre-fishing briefing and inspections for the past year. More recently, the European owned fishing vessels have shown their commitment to the Mozambique procedures which form part of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Resolution 10/11 On Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing. The port visit to a designated Mozambique port by the F/V UNO INTERTUNA was the first such execution of the Mozambican port state measures for an EU owned vessel.
The pre-fishing briefing and inspection procedures include briefing of the Master and key Crew members of the laws of Mozambique, the requirement for adherance to the terms and conditions of their fishing license, and a full inspection of the vessel for compliance with Mozambique and IOTC laws and regulations. The Mozambican team leader, Chief of Mozambique’s Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Operations, Captain Noa Senete, was pleased with the receipt of the team by the Captain of the 77m, 2176 gross tonne F/V UNO INTERTUNA, the cooperation of the crew and their immediate action on areas that required action, including the painting of the Mozambican Fishing License number on the hull of the vessel.
The EU Fishing Association has notified Mozambique that it will continue bringing its vessels to designated ports for these procedures.
The commitment and support of the EU fleet to the implementation of the Mozambican Port State Measures in accordance with Mozambican law and regional IOTC resolutions was appreciated and demonstrates the cooperative efforts take action to deter and eliminate IUU fishing in the region. Mozambique remains committed through its support for regional cooperation and nationally to addressing IUU fishing in its EEZ and shall soon be adding the confiscated, refurbished Antillas Reefer to the patrol fleet assets for the region.
Picture courtesy of Ministry of fisheries – National Directorate of Fisheries Surveillance