Africa-Press – Angola. The Artisanal Fishing Support Center in the municipality of Egito Praia, in the centre-west Province of Benguela, is operating at 50% of its capacity, its manager, Nélson Freitas, reported on Monday.
He was speaking to the press on the sidelines of the visit of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Carmen do Sacramento Neto, highlighted concerns about the failure of the photovoltaic power source inverters and the existence of only one operational deep-freeze chamber.
“We have a tunnel that can receive ten tons of fish every four hours and we are unable to fully utilize it due to a lack of catching equipment, such as boats, nets and other accessories”, he stated.
Meanwhile, the minister toured the infrastructure’s facilities and assessed its level of utilization, with a view to its relaunch.
At the end of the visit, Carmen do Sacramento Neto explained that the center is part of a project called “fishing villages”, which will not be a key component.
When asked about the investment priorities, she said that the Ministry plans to build a pier there to facilitate the unloading of fish and also make some improvements to the banks of the Balombo River.
“That location was elevated to a municipality within the framework of the new Political and Administrative Division and, from a local governance perspective, is particularly important for the fishing sector”, she highlighted.
The minister also visited Praia Bebé, in the municipality of Catumbela, to learn about the concerns of local fishermen.
Carmen do Sacramento Neto promised to address some needs that are easier to resolve, such as microcredits, although larger loans for the purchase of fishing boats and motors are also planned.
“The big problem is the issue of the formalization process. Any credit granted requires applicants to have up-to-date documents, such as an identity card and be registered with Social Security”, she clarified.
The minister also promised the training of fishermen through the Artisanal Fishing Institute, then conversations with companies that can offer fisher equipment so that the users can better develop their activities.
Praia Bebé has a fishing cooperative made up of ex-military personnel, with 60 members, and another cooperative made up of women, also with 60 members.
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