International workshop "The Impacts of Piracy on Fisheries in the Indian Ocean"
An international Workshop on “The impacts of Piracy on Fisheries in the Indian Ocean” took place in Mahé, Republic of Seychelles on 28 and 29 February 2012 at the Constance Ephelia Resort.
The workshop was organised by the European Bureau for Conservation and Development with the support of the Government of the Kingdom of Norway, the Government of the Republic of Seychelles and the Indian Ocean Commission and in collaboration with the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Project.
It brought together high-level representatives from all countries of the Indian Ocean Commission and other coastal states. Regional international organisations such as the EU, IOTC, IMO and the FAO also participated along with academia, scientists, fishermen, fishing boat owners association, exporters and processors, and the industry.
The overriding message of the meeting was that piracy is a scourge that should unambiguously and unanimously be condemned because of its negative impacts on all fisheries activities and sectors. It was recognised that the artisanal sector in particular is more vulnerable in terms of human and socio-economic impacts.
The workshop discussed the economic costs of piracy on states, impacts at the enterprise level, impact on fishing practices, on research and science initiatives and fisheries management, and impacts on livelihoods and food security.
Tracking the financial trail of piracy, its extended networks and supply chains was also considered as a central issue to be tackled.
Lastly,
the participants agreed on the need to deepen regional cooperation in their
strategy to fight piracy. In this regard, the need to ensure urgent
implementation of the ESA/IOC regional plan against piracy was emphasised, as
well as the need to further examine the outcomes of the London Conference on
Somalia in order to identify which deliverables could be achieved in the
regional context and to strengthen bilateral fisheries agreements with an added
component on the fight against piracy.
Seychellois fishermen captured by Somali pirates
The workshop highlighted the case of two artisanal fishermen, Ronny Tambara,
70, and Marc Songoire, 63, who were fishing in Seychelles waters 60 miles from
the island of Mahé and have been held hostages in Somalia
since November 2011. Commissioner Maria Damanaki made an appeal on her website for the release of the two fishermen.
To read the appeal click here.
THE FULL REPORT OF THE WORKSHOP IS AVAILABLE BELOW, TOGETHER WITH THE PRESENTATIONS, THE GENERAL AND THE WORKING GROUPS' RECOMMENDATIONS, AS WELL AS THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE WORKSHOP.
Documents
WORKSHOP REPORT Press release Background document List of Participants Agenda London Conference Communiqué
Conclusions and Recommendations Conclusions and Recommendations
Recommendations Recommendations: Regional Cooperation & Intern. Coordination Recommendations: Role of the Industry Recommendations: Communication to the Wider Public
Opening Session Minister Sinon Callixte d'Offay
Session 1 Hartmut Hesse Rashid Sumaila
Session 2 Tom Nishida Xavier Nicolas Patrice Guillotreau Rondolph Payet Kwame Koranteng-Elisa Socrate Konstantin Alexandrou
Session 3 Anertz Muniategui Juan Pedro Monteagudo Masaaki Nakamura Beatty Hoareau Adolfo Valsecchi Radley Weber David Bentley
Session 4 Ian Robinson Ahmed Iman Mauree Daroomalingum Muhammad Khan Tiana Randriambola
Session 5 IOC Alejandro Anganuzzi-Miguel Herrera Callixte d'Offay Eric Levert
Session 6 Jerome Theillier