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UK Minister visits Mozambique and commits further support to the Stop Illegal Fishing Programme

In April 2009 Gareth Thomas, the UK Minister for Trade and Development, visited Mozambique to announce the UK Government’s support for the Partnership for African Fisheries (PAF) a new DFID-funded programme being run through New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Union Commission.

This programme has evolved as a follow-on programme to the successful Stop Illegal Fishing Programme (SIF) that was also supported by the UK government. The SIF programme culminated in the signing of the 2008 SADC Statement of Commitment on IUU fishing by Southern African Ministers responsible for marine fisheries in Windhoek, Namibia. The PAF programme has grown out of the SIF work and will continue to expand the campaign of SIF across Africa.

In announcing the programme, Minister Thomas said: "Mozambique enjoys vast resources of fish and seafood off its coastline which bring significant economic benefits to the country. But without proper management including monitoring control and surveillance systems, continued abuse of this resource through illegal fishing will ensure that these benefits are in danger of being lost."

"The UK’s £7 million Partnership for African Fisheries Programme will ensure that countries work together to tackle this problem; sharing their expertise and enabling fishermen to get their produce to markets more easily so that they can make a living."

The new partnership will help NEPAD in further developing a politically-led African regional strategy that will result in more effective fisheries.

PAF will stimulate debate and knowledge exchange between African and international partners in three key policy areas: good governance, illegal fishing, and trade and access to markets. Building on best practice from Africa and elsewhere, it will facilitate a move towards policies that support more economically productive and sustainable fisheries, enabling these to contribute to growth and poverty reduction.

DFID’s funding represents seed capital for PAF. Other donors and partners already involved include the World Bank, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and the Pew Charitable Trust.