Africa-Press – Mauritius. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed, today at Hennessy Park Hotel in Ebène, between the Open University of Mauritius and E€OFISH for the launching of a new programme, namely the BA (Hons) Law, Blue Economy and Sustainable Fisheries Management.
Signatories were the Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Commission, Prof. Vêlayoudom Marimoutou, and the Chairman of the Open University of Mauritius, Mr Rajeshwar Duva Pentiah. Several personalities were present at the event, while others were connected via the Zoom platform.
In an online intervention, the Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping, Mr Sudheer Maudhoo, expressed his gratitude to the E€OFISH programme and to the Open University of Mauritius for having come up with this new course.
This initiative, he pointed out, not only targets Mauritius but also countries of the region and Africa in general. He observed that the course addresses a major challenge, which is the oil spill faced by the country last year following the shipwreck of the MV Wakashio.
As such, Mauritius needed legal expertise well-versed in maritime law so as to handle the legal aspects and efficiently manage such disasters, he stated.
Minister Maudhoo underscored that this course will fill in a gap long overdue and Mauritius, as well as the region as a whole, will thus benefit from new skills in the blue economy and sustainable fisheries management. He further expressed confidence that the new resources, with the required skills and knowledge, will bring better management in this field.
It is recalled that the BA (Hons) Law, Blue Economy and Sustainable Fisheries Management programme has been tailored to meet the increasing demands for smart and talented professionals in the marine natural resources and environmental sectors, including the fisheries industry, integrated coastal management and the blue economy from Africa’s perspective.
About the E€OFISH programme
The E€OFISH programme, an initiative financed by the European Union to the tune of € 28 million which will be overseen by the Indian Ocean Commission, was launched on 09 December 2020.
The programme’s overall objective is to enhance equitable economic growth by promoting sustainable fisheries in the Eastern Africa-Southern Africa-Indian Ocean region.
The specific objective is to support sustainable management and development of fisheries in order to contribute to poverty alleviation, food and nutrition security, while addressing climate change resilience and enhancing marine biodiversity.
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