On June 8, Pêchecops (NGO Mauritania) and CFFA sent a letter to the EC Fisheries Commissioner, Maria Damanaki, insisting on the fact that ’the promotion of sustainable fisheries in the relations between Mauritania and the EU, - including the protection and development of artisanal and coastal fisheries-, will be best achieved by the conclusion of a partnership agreement based on good governance and transparency.
Pêchecops and CFFA ask for a serie of conditions to be met, including:
European fleets access must be strictly limited to stocks for which the existence of a surplus of resources non-exploitable by local fleets is demonstrated. Within these limits, access shall be limited to European operators who use selective fishing techniques (prohibition of tickler chains, Nordmøre grid on trawlers, etc.), obey the rules and regulations, and land their catches in Mauritania. Through an adequate zoning, industrial vessels should be excluded from the artisanal fishing zones and from other sensitive areas (coral areas, etc). To protect marine ecosystems and populations depending on them, it is important that these measures apply in a non discriminatory manner to all industrial vessels, local and foreign (including European and Chinese);
Conditions of full transparency concerning all authorized fleets operations should be established: regularly updated lists of authorised vessels should be made accessible to the public via the internet;
It is essential that the EU supports a joint framework where Mauritanian and European non-governmental actors can dialogue, allowing them to develop a common vision of the sustainable development of fisheries in Mauritania;
Pêchecops and CFFA also request for a commonly agreed investments policy to be part of the partnership, in order to finance:
The implementation of fisheries management plans;
Superstructures and infrastructures for landing catches;
The development of sustainable small-scale and coastal fishing given its comparative advantages for delivering sustainable fisheries and;
The training of young people and women to acquire fishing and processing skills.