News
First Meeting of the SADC IUU Task Force
Positive steps are made in Maputo, Mozambique towards the realization of the SADC Regional MCS Fisheries Coordination Centre through the 1st Meeting of the SADC IUU Task Force
The Mozambican Ministry of Fisheries hosted the first meeting of the SADC IUU Task Force in Maputo, Mozambique from the 12 – 14 September 2011. The main agenda of this conference was to bring together the working group to discuss and make concrete steps towards the formation of a SADC Regional Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MCS) Coordination Centre in Mozambique. The meeting was organized by SADC and supported by Nepad and their Stop Illegal Fishing working group.
IUU fishing had been clearly identified as a threat by the SADC Marine Fisheries authorities and other stakeholders for some time and this led to the elaboration of the SADC Statement of Commitment to combat IUU Fishing (2008) and the SADC Action Plan on IUU Fishing (2010). Two of the main aspects of the Statement of Commitment are the calling for a regional Task Force on IUU and a Regional MCS Fisheries Coordination Centre, as vital steps for the region to cooperate to mitigate IUU fishing. The location of the Regional MCS Coordination Centre was agreed in 2010 to be Maputo. A feasibility study was carried out for the Centre and a start-up project proposal was approved by SADC Ministers in May 2011. This first Task Force meeting made firm steps to map out the strategy for the establishment of the centre.
The SADC Secretariat, represented by the Senior Natural Resources Adviser, Mr. Nyambe Nyambe, outlined the six objectives of the Task Force and illustrated what was to be achieved in the three day working group. He then handed the meeting over to Mauritius, who chaired the meeting for the remainder of its duration.
The meeting deliberated on the following issues; the draft Terms of Reference (ToR), draft work programme and draft budget for the Task Force; the draft ToR’s, road map, and strategy for resource mobilization for the Centre. These drafted documents and roadmap will pave the way for the SADC Secretariat and member States to now move forward with implementation of the Centre. The meeting came to successful close of meeting with the establishment of the Centre well underway.