(08/11/23) MOGADISHU – The Somali government has taken a significant step towards sustainable fisheries and marine resource management by convening a consultative conference aimed at establishing the Fisheries Management and Development Council. Held in Mogadishu over the course of two days, federal and state-level ministries have laid the groundwork for what is seen as a transformative approach to Somalia’s fisheries sector.
Aligning with the newly enacted Somali Fisheries Law of 2023, the conference’s primary outcome was to set in motion the formalities for the council’s operation. It aims to enhance collaborative efforts between federal and state ministries, further local fisheries development, improve fish marketing strategies and curb the menace of illegal fishing activities plaguing the nation’s waters.
Within the next 15 days, each federal Member State is expected to appoint a representative to the council’s secretariat, with a key follow-up conference scheduled for January 2024. The upcoming gathering will be crucial, as it is set to finalise the rules and regulations that will steer the council’s governance.
Key resolutions of the conference included an agreement to undertake research on endangered marine species, such as Arcos and turtles, across Somali waters. The council underscored the need for a management plan to prevent their potential extinction, with the Badmaal-Somali Sustainable Fisheries Development (SSFD) project recommended to spearhead this initiative.
In preparation for the formal issuance of regulations by the Federal Minister of Fisheries, pre-emptive consultations with the ministries of the federal Member States were agreed upon as a necessary step to ensure the cohesive implementation of the Fisheries Development Law.
Moreover, the council is set to organise educational expeditions to Indonesia and Tanzania, nations acknowledged for their advances in federal fisheries management, to glean insights into best practices that could be replicated in Somalia.
General directors from both the federal government and federal Member State Ministries of Fisheries have been instructed to provide technical assistance to the Badmaal-SSFD project, working closely with the Federal Ministry’s management office to progress this initiative effectively.
In response to the persistent challenge of illegal fishing, the council has affirmed the need for a comprehensive national plan to tackle the issue both within Somali waters and beyond.
In closing, the council recognised the valuable contributions of the experts present at the conference and extended its gratitude to the World Bank for its support of the SSFD project and the project management team’s diligent efforts.
Halqabsi News
