Starting in December, vessels from Japan that intend to fish for tuna in Mozambican waters will have to undergo mandatory inspections at the port of Maputo before starting operations.
This was announced by the National Director of Fisheries Inspection, Manuel Casteano, who explained that this measure is intended to gain a thorough understanding of the ships operating in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The idea is to collect data on fishing gear and functionality of the various systems of fishing monitoring on board.
In addition, the inspections will allow captains of tuna vessels and their crews to learn about the rules in force in Mozambique, the official told the newspaper Notícias.
Casteano explained that one third of EU vessels operating in Mozambican waters under the fisheries agreement signed between Mozambique and the European Union (EU) for the period 2012-2014 will also be inspected before the start of their fishing operations.
These days, a delegation of fisheries inspectors from Mozambique are participating in a training workshop on port inspection activities in the Seychelles.
The National Fisheries Inspection Directorate, Seychelles Fishing Authority and the Tuna Regional Organization of the Indian Ocean have also joined this initiative.
The announced inspections are part of the Fishing Master Plan 2010-2019, whose implementation is designed to increase the economic contribution of fisheries in Mozambique, in particular, the tuna and related species ones.
