A regional Symposium on Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported Industrial Fishing (IUUF) is underway in Antananarivo, Madagascar, running from June 5-7, 2023.
Blue Ventures has organized the Symposium in collaboration with the US Embassy in Madagascar and Comoros. The Symposium was officially opened by Madagascar’s Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy, H.E. Dr Mahatante Tsimanaoraty Paubert and is attended by over 60 participants from various actor groups (states, NGOs, civil society and the private sector). In his opening remarks, the Minister emphasized Madagascar’s progress in reducing the pressure from industrial fishing, reducing the number of licensed fishing fleets in the Madagascar EEZ from 255 to 69 in two years. He went on to say that Madagascar had acquired 16 patrol vessels, which would help in the fight against IUU.
Industrial IUU fishing is a complex issue that needs the coordination and collaboration of all the actors within the region to be addressed. Despite many international conventions and regulations, IUU fishing still threatens the food security of millions of coastal communities, small scale fishers and marine biodiversity. This symposium aims to enhance this collaboration and revitalise this regional collaboration to specifically tackle IUU fishing.
Mostly focused on Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, and Mauritius, the Symposium aims to strengthen regional networks to fight IUU industrial fishing in the WIO. Expected outcomes of the Symposium include improved WIO understanding of IUU fishing, including driver factors (information management, lack of transparency), impacts, and regional challenges. Participants will be discussing the real drivers of IUU practices in the WIO, their effects on each actor group, and the challenges of fighting IUU fishing. The Symposium will highlight government, academia, and civil society actions and initiatives that address IUU fishing for sustainable blue economy governance and create a regional community of actors within the WIO addressing IUU fishing, with plans to convene a regular meeting of parties to update and monitor implementation of the actions identified and validated at this symposium.
The WIOMSA Executive Director, Dr Arthur Tuda, is attending the event.
Photo: Blue Ventures
