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The Seychelles newly appointed Fisheries Minister calls on renewed vigor towards sustainable management of marine resources of ACP countries
The Stop Illegal Fishing would like to express its warm welcome to the Hon. Peter Sinon, who has recently been appointed Minister for Investment, Natural Resources and Industry in the Seychelles. The Hon. Peter Sinon is an expert in economics and previously was the Advisor and Executive Director for Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania and Uganda at the African Development Bank (ADB).
At a recent ACP fisheries workshop which was hosted in the Seychelles, the Hon. Peter Sinon officially opened the meeting with a speech that emphasised the need to review, re-assess and reconsider fisheries policies in ACP countries. He stressed the important focus on the Fisheries Partnership Agreements (FPAs) between the EU and the ACP countries and the need to look at how the ACP countries can increase collaboration, particularly on fisheries arrangements allowing access of marine resources to foreign fishing vessels. The Hon. Peter Sinon reiterated the resolutions adopted at the 90th session of the ACP Council of Ministers which quotes: €The ACP Meeting of Minister in charge of fisheries, calls upon its Members to ensure the putting in place, and/or maintenance of policy and legal frameworks which are, inter alia, in line with the relevant provisions of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible fisheries, providing a conducive framework for responsible and sustainable fisheries governance€. He concluded by urging ACP member states to take concrete steps towards these adopted principles and to show commitments.
Minister Sinon is succeeding his predecessor the Hon Minister Joel Morgan who is now responsible for the newly created Ministry of Home Affairs, Environment and Transport. The Hon Minister Joel Morgan was responsible for fisheries since July 2007 and was very active in the fight against Piracy and illegal activities inside Seychelles territorial waters. During his three years in office he successfully chaired the ACP Council of Ministers meetings, signed several fisheries Agreements and in January 2010, when 4 Iranian flagged fishing vessels were caught fishing illegally in the Seychelles EEZ, he signed the compounding agreements for 3 of the vessels that accepted the charges (the case of the final vessel is still ongoing).
Stop Illegal Fishing welcomes future collaboration with the Government of Seychelles in the fight against IUU fishing.
Photography courtesy of the Ministry for Investment, Natural Resources and Industry, Seychelles Fishing Authority, Seychelles.Minister Joel Morgan and Minister Peter Sinon ( From left to right)