Conserving, managing and utilising marine resources
3 March 2008
Commonwealth funded projects promote sustainable and responsible management of fishing industries
For some, oysters are a much sought after delicacy they enjoy at the world’s top restaurants. But for others, oysters are a vital source of revenue invaluable to their country’s economy.
Namibia is one such country whose economy has become increasingly driven by farming and exporting oysters, as well as fish and shrimps.
In 2002, the Commonwealth Secretariat was approached by the Namibian Government to help develop their aquaculture – fish and seafood farming – industry, which offers a vital source of employment and revenue.
The Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation, which provides experts to work with developing member countries, responded to this request by recruiting Dr Alec Forbes* to team up with Namibia’s Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources to work on responsible and sustainable freshwater and seawater farming.
Work on freshwater farming concentrated on generating employment as well as introducing fish into the diets of some local cultures. The team worked to utilise the once barren land on the banks of the Okavango and Zambezi rivers that are now yielding harvests of tilapia fish, which provide a good source of protein.
Due to international demand for fish, shrimp and oysters, seawater farming has also been developed in recent years in Namibia to cater for countries across the world such as China, Germany and South Africa. Dr Forbes and his team worked to enhance the country’s ability to export these products more effectively. One area they addressed is greenhouse farming to counter the weather in Namibia, which is not favourable for shrimp production.
Collaborating with Iceland
Over the last three years, the Government of Iceland and the Secretariat have collaborated on a jointly financed and managed fisheries programme in the Pacific region. This programme, which will conclude in June this year, provides assistance, through capacity-building training courses, to the 12 Commonwealth Pacific Island countries.
The main goal of this partnership is to support the sustainable management of coastal fishing in these small island states. The training looks at how officials from Ministries of Fisheries can scientifically assess fish stocks in order to plan for sustainable harvest and maintenance of marine resources.
When the initial partnership was struck Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said that “this is a good example of how the Commonwealth’s co-operative partnerships can reach out beyond the association’s membership to the wider international community, to the benefit of all.”
As a result of this programme about 50 Pacific Island nationals have been trained at both the United Nations Fisheries Training Programme in Reykjavik, Iceland, and through regional workshops organised in the Pacific.
Iceland has also proposed further collaboration with the Secretariat regarding small island developing states, following their decision to pursue a more active programme of development assistance.
Iceland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, will lead a delegation of experts to the Caribbean and Pacific later this year to explore opportunities in areas such as clean energy – hydro-electricity – ocean governance and climate change.
Small businesses in Papua New Guinea
The Commonwealth has also helped to introduce modern business management practices to the fisheries sector in Papua New Guinea, where a training programme was established for small businesses working in the fishing industry.
‘Start and Improve Your Fisheries Business’ is specifically designed for coastal fishermen and has become a flagship training programme in the Pacific.
After it was initially set up in Papua New Guinea it has since been transferred to Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu as well Commonwealth associated states – the Cook Islands and Niue.
* Dr Forbes sadly died last year and the Secretariat is currently in the process of hiring another consultant to continue his work in this area.
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