Insights
Countries discuss for responsible fisheries practices across Indian Ocean
Countries from the Indian Ocean Islands and East Africa met on Mahe Island in Seychelles on 27-28 June 2017 , to discuss the sheries transparency initiative ( FiTI ) for developing strategies to tackle illegal shing and increase accountability in sheries practices in the region
FiTI emphasises that the basic information on the sheries sector should be in the public domain by the respective governance . ( Image source : Max Braun / Flickr ) �e FiTI workshop was organised by the African Natural Resources Centre of the African Development Bank ( AfDB ), the government of Seychelles , the Indian Ocean Commission ( IOC ) and the FiTI International Secretariat .
�e two-day meeting was attended by the representatives from the shing industry , civil s o c i e t y , g o v e r n m e n t s a n d s h i n g administrations from Seychelles , Mauritius , Comoros , Madagascar , Tanzania , Kenya and Mozambique .
�e purpose of the event was to enhance the understanding of sheries administration and transparency in the sector , focusing on FiTI ' s role to yield bene ts for communities and other stakeholders .
AfDB observed that the African countries are vulnerable to over shing and depletion of sh stock due to opaque and unregulated shing practices by foreign companies as well as local communities . “ Transparency is essential for responsible and accountable sheries practices ,” said Jean-Louis Kromer , chief natural resources management officer of the African Natural Resources Centre . “ �e African Natural Resource Centre of the AfDB has been actively involved in the FiTI conceptual phase leading to the FiTI standard , because we believe it can effectively improve the governance of the sheries sector in Africa , helping to secure the livelihoods of millions of Africans living in shing communities ,” added Kromer .
In addition , the workshop also aimed at securing the interest of the IOC and Eastern African countries to take part in FiTI and adhere to the FiTI standard .
�e FiTI standard is an agreement on 12 transparency requirements that include the publication of all foreign shing agreements , existing national reports about the sh stocks and a public registry of national sheries laws and official policy documents .
Commenting on the FiTI western Indian regional workshop , Sven Biermann , director of the FiTI international secretariat , stressed , “ All stakeholders , governments , business , civil society , academia and media must contribute their knowledge and experiences to together conserve and sustainably use our oceans , seas and marine resources for sustainable development .” “ �is participation cannot work without transparency and having access to basic information ,” he said .
July - August 2017
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