Ebène (Mauritius),15 August 2020

Around six (06) millions Euros were awarded by the European Union to six entities in order to implement initiatives promoting sustainable fishing practices in the Easter Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Region. This activity is part of the E€OFISH Programme which is implemented jointly by the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), as well as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), SOS Sahel Sudan, Mwambao Coastal Community Network of Tanzania, ADPP of Mozambique, UNDP in Mauritius as well as C3 Madagascar are the first entities to receive this kind of grant under the E€OFISH programme. Their projects range from improving food security of the artisan fishers to supporting the economic empowerment of the artisan fishing community.

The funded initiatives are role models of good practice in fisheries management and governance. They can be easily replicated in target countries as they are usually small-scale schemes“, said Soobaschand Sweenarain, E€OFISH Team Leader.

E€OFISH, a programme promoted and funded by the European Union, aims to boost equitable economic growth through sustainable fishing practices in the EA-SA-IO region.

The main achievements of E€OFISH since its implementation in August 2019 include bringing together the region’s fisheries key actors, and reactivating the coordination unit of the Regional Fisheries Surveillance Programme (PRSP) in order to improve maritime resources protection.