Africa-Press – Angola. The Secretary of State for Fisheries, Esperança da Costa, highlighted, Wednesday (9), in Luanda, the Angolan Government’s concern for responsible fishing and the protection of marine ecosystems.
Esperança da Costa, who was speaking at a march that aimed to mark the World Oceans Day, marked yesterday, said that the pollution of the oceans by plastics and microplastics has been a global concern and transversal to different sectors of society.
“In Angola, the 2025 Agenda and the National Development Plan 2018-2022 include the goals until 2030, give priority to responsible fishing, protection of marine ecosystems, rich biodiversity, as well as the interaction of the nexus between climate and ocean”, he said. .
He highlighted the fact that the Executive had started a movement against marine pollution, with the development of various instruments to prevent marine pollution. Among the instruments, he highlighted the National Strategy for the Sea, in the public consultation phase, the Marine Life Conservation Strategy and the Marine Space Planning, whose proposal has already been submitted for validation.
Network Of Protected Areas
The Secretary of State for Fisheries informed that the country has proceeded with the identification of ecologically and biologically significant areas, with a view to creating a network of marine protected areas.
According to Esperança da Costa, Angola also continues to monitor the health of the oceans, in a partnership with the Norwegian ship “Fridgos Naulcen”.
He considered the fight against plastics to be a “global priority”, but defended that the prevention and mitigation of the harmful effects to marine ecosystems require the commitment to combined actions, as well as the involvement of all.
“The fight must be done in an open and inclusive way, with the need for all strata of society to be engaged in this process of raising awareness and education on the need to prevent and maintain a clean, safe and resilient ocean, for the benefit of all. today and so that future generations can enjoy ocean services”, he said.
The Secretary of State considered the ocean as one of the pillars of greatest strategic importance for the sustainability of our city.
Vilization. He considered, in effect, that the sharing of knowledge becomes fundamental for the development of common strategies capable of ensuring the protection of ocean resources.
Esperança da Costa challenged States to permanently define global governance solutions, guaranteeing a Sustainable Blue Economy.
He recalled that the United Nations declared the period between 2021 and 2030 as the UN Decade of Ocean Science for the importance of the seas. The goal, he said, is to mobilize scientists, politicians, companies and civil society for research and innovation.
The commemoration of yesterday’s anniversary, he said, is intended to remind us of the importance of the oceans in everyone’s daily lives as “lungs of the planet” and emitters of much of the oxygen we breathe with a focus on innovation and sustainability.
Esperança da Costa called for the awareness and awareness of populations, particularly young people and women, of the importance of the oceans and the need to conserve marine and coastal ecosystems, in order to promote the preservation of existing resources, integrity and health. ecosystem, through the protection of biodiversity and maintenance of its productivity.
Yesterday’s march was carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, in partnership with the United Nations representation in Angola and in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Environment. Under the motto “For an Ocean without plastic”, diplomats, representatives of different UN bodies, environmental organizations and civil society joined the march.
Also to mark World Oceans Day, a Seminar on Marine Space Planning was held on Tuesday, under the motto “Revitalization and collective actions for the ocean”.
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