Page 13 - Mauritius REPORT

The opportunity
Sustainable management of the f?shery resource

Mauritius has set in motion a number of initiatives to ensure sustainable fisheries with the overriding
principle in government strategy for fisheries is managing capture fisheries within sustainable limits
while ensuring continuous and even supply of fish and fishery products for the local market. In Country Profile
overexploited stocks, the fisheries are closed to newcomers and existing fishers are being encouraged
to move to other fisheries. The Republic of Mauritius

In the case of capture fisheries where the resources are not being optimally tapped, development
incentives are given to prospective investors. Coastal and banks fisheries are closed to foreign
companies. For the highly migratory tuna, fishing agreements are in place with the EU, Seychelles (on
a reciprocity basis) and Japan for fishing within the Mauritian EEZ. All foreign vessels need to have a
licence to fish in Mauritian waters. Local investment and joint ventures are also encouraged in tuna
fisheries.

Managing artisanal f?shery
The fishing effort in the traditional sector needs to be substantially reduced to ensure sustainability
of the resources. Consequently, fishers are being trained to participate in the offshore fisheries and
to enable them to seek employment opportunities on foreign fishing vessels fishing in the EEZ under
licence in the longline and purse seine fisheries. Some 1 000 fishers may need to be trained to meet
the requirements of the industry in the next decade.

Legal and policy interventions
Government policy in the fisheries sector focuses on sustainable resource use and protection of the
marine environment (i.e. management aspects) and on maximizing returns from existing fisheries
through value addition. In parallel, government policy seeks sound development and improvement
of the economic and social status of the fisher community. Mauritius is party to, inter alia, the United
Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); the UN Agreement on Conservation and
Management of Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks; the Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD); and abides by the principles enunciated in the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing.
Mauritius is a member of COMESA and SADC, and both bodies have as main objectives an increase
in fish production in order to attain self-sufficiency, as well as to promote trade in fish and fishery
products within and outside the SADC and COMESA regions.

Addressing IUU
Mauritius participates in FISH-i Africa an initiative to address IUU fishing. Fishing licences are issued
to authorise local and foreign fishing vessels to fish in the EEZ, under the provisions of the Fisheries
and Marine Resources Act 2007. In 2009, around ten countries were issued fishing licences. Mauritius
signed fishing agreements with Seychelles in 2005 and the Japan Tuna Fisheries Cooperative
Association in 2007. In 2009, the annual revenue from such licences and fishing agreements was
around Rs. 40 million. In an effort to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in Mauritius,
a National Plan of Action based on the International Plan of Action, has been developed with the
assistance of the Government of Norway to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing.

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