Federation of the Fishers of the Indian Ocean (FPAOI) |20 February 2018

Minister Charlette attends two key events in Mauritius

The Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Pamela Charlette recently attended two key events in Mauritius organised by the Federation of the Artisanal Fishers of the Indian Ocean (FPAOI) that comprises member states of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC).

These were the federation’s general assembly and an advocacy workshop for members of artisanal fishermen associations within the Indian Ocean.

Minister Charlette was accompanied at the January 29 – February 2 events by the principal secretary for fisheries Jude Talma.

In her opening speech, Minister Charlette supported the idea for such an initiative and stressed on the financial and logistical support provided by the government of Seychelles for the Seychellois fishers and the region through the FPAOI.

The chairman of the FPAOI, Keith Andre, appealed to the artisanal fishers of the IOC to rise to the opportunity to participate in the co-management process of marine resource governance, now that our governments have recognised the importance of stakeholder involvement and contribution towards the sustainable exploitation and conservation of aquatic resources.

Luc Ralaimarindaza, the project manager of the IOC and Moussa Mahoma, the Comorian Minister for Justice and Islamic Affairs who is also a former fisherman and founding member of the FPAOI, also made their speeches during the ceremony.

It was Doreen K.Y. Poorun, senior chief executive of the Ministry of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping of Mauritius who concluded the series of speeches by a message of welcome and support of the Mauritian authorities towards this initiative.

During the general assembly, the executive committee of the FPAOI and the technical team presented the developments of the past two years and explained the successful structuring of the FPAOI that is now widely recognised, and why the FPAOI today has the ability to act and to defend the interests of small scale fishers in the Indian Ocean.

This whole process has been solidified by the FPAOI and past, ongoing and future projects and activities were presented, as well as the advocacy and communication strategy of the FPAOI that have been approved in the general assembly.

The fishers present identified priorities to promote the importance of the sector of small-scale fishing (economic, social, cultural, for the health and food safety), to defend the fishers of the Indian Ocean, assert their knowledge and their role in the conservation and sustainable exploitation of resources.

They also discussed the challenges and threats which weigh on their sector and the solutions they have to offer.

A committee of women involved in fishing and fishing activities in the Indian Ocean was also established at this general assembly.

The Seychelles delegation was also composed of a group of representatives of small-scale fishers in Seychelles, of members of the FPAOI and other fishing associations and organisations who were invited. The delegation included Darrel Green (Praslin Fishermen’s Association), Mr. Pool (Roche Caiman Fishers Association, Mahé), Claude Nicole (Artisanal Shark Fishing Association, Mahé), Mr. Payet (La Digue Fishermen Association), Mrs Lafortune (Association of Members of Seychelles Sea Cucumber Industry, Mahé), Mr Hoarau and Mrs Laporte (FBOA, Mahé), Mr Gonthier (FBOA, Praslin) and Mr André, chairman of the FPAOI and of the FBOA.

The delegation was well bonded and determined in their willingness to support this initiative. The history of the FPAOI is closely related to Seychelles since it was initiated by Seychelles with the assistance of the IOC-SmartFish project in 2012 and was 'officially' created in Victoria, Mahé in 2015.