Africa-Press – Angola. The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Carmen dos Santos, reaffirmed, in Luanda, the Executive’s commitment to the sustainable management of the oceans to combat illegal fishing, using new technologies from the Regional Monitoring, Control and Inspection Center of Fisheries (MCSCC), of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The minister, who was speaking to the press, on the sidelines of the initial training of inspectors, within the scope of the Stop Atlântico project, to combat illegal fishing, said that the already referenced center, with support from the United States Embassy, will improve the quality of visualization of offenders.
“In real time, we will understand specifically where the infraction is being committed, as well as the inspector’s approach”, he explained.
In addition to digitalization, the head of the Fisheries portfolio highlighted the added value of Stop Atlântico as the training of staff, conservation of the oceans, seas and sustainability.
Regarding the sector’s contribution to Angola’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), he made it known that it remains between 3.5 and 4 percent, but with the continued fight against illegal fishing there will be an improvement in work and greater use of the fishing activity.
“Using the oceans, maintaining sustainability, the ecosystem and biological species is another of the Executive’s purposes”, he stressed.
The representative of the Embassy of the States of America in Angola, Chistopher Hattayer, understands that the partnership in the field of oceans has as fundamental pillars the support for security, good governance and economic prosperity.
“We must support the Angolan Government and other countries, Namibia and South Africa, to protect the sea, which is why we intend to contribute to training and raising awareness among staff”, he asserted.
He considered illegal fishing to be a major risk to health and biodiversity.
The project called Stop Atlântico, which aims to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, has the support of the United States Embassy.
With this project, SADC countries, namely those involved in the Benguela cold current (Angola, Namibia and South Africa) can have concerted action with the Regional Fisheries Monitoring, Control and Inspection Center (MCSCC), of the Community of Southern African Development (SADC), based in Mozambique, Maputo.
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