CPLP: Fisheries Ministers declare combat illegal fishing

Maputo, 07 Mar (Lusa) - Fisheries Ministers of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) have committed themselves today in Maputo to engage in combating illegal fishing and respect "the principles of sustainable management of fisheries and Aquaculture. "


In the final declaration of the two-day conference held in Maputo, the heads of Fisheries of the CPLP are also the challenge of "boost the formation of business partnerships, promoting the participation of the economic agents in events organized by states of CPLP."

Maintaining the Draft Recovery of Human Resources in the field of Fisheries and Aquaculture, coordinated by Brazil, was also emphasized in the meeting, which will be made to the various seminars in the area of training, between this year and next year, says in the statement final.

Within the framework of multilateral cooperation in the fisheries sector, will also continue the project of Institutional Development of Information Units in the Area Fisheries, coordinated by Portugal and Cape Verde, for the identification of scientific and technical information, produced by each country, Fisheries ministers underlined the CPLP.

At the conference in Maputo was also agreed to "maintain the Working Group of Statistics, coordinated by Angola, aiming at the harmonization of statistical systems in member countries in order to make them comparable, allowing the exchange of knowledge and data," states the document.

At the press conference that followed the adoption of the Declaration of Maputo, the Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries Portuguese, Jaime Silva, reiterated the commitment of Portugal to link with other states of the CPLP a timely discussion of EU directives on the fisheries sector in order to take advantage of the opportunities offered by this market.

"I stress here the provision of Portugal to promote the timely discussion with its partners the CPLP of decisions that may affect the fisheries sector," said Jaime Silva, before advance that it is also important to the EU that their partners are par of what is happening on the legislative, for a better understanding of the changes which are operating.

"The EU has to ensure that Africa will be apprised of legislative measures that are approving in Europe on Fisheries, because this is a key sector for the development of some African countries," said the Portuguese Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Das Fisheries.

At the meeting in Maputo, Mozambique took the chair of the Conference of Fisheries Ministers of the CPLP and Guinea-Bissau the vice presidency.