Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare
Herald Correspondent
ZIMBABWE is strengthening efforts to combat illegal fishing and improve sustainable management of aquatic resources through the deployment of Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) under the SADC PROFISHBLUE programme.
Speaking during the ongoing 8th Project Technical Committee Meeting of the PROFISHBLUE Project in Harare, SADC PROFISHBLUE programme coordinator Dr Alexander Kefi said the technology was helping authorities monitor fishing activities in protected waters while also improving security for fishing communities.
“We have supported them (Zimbabwe) with the Vessel Monitoring System so that the Government can see whether people are fishing in protected areas and how they are moving on water,” said Dr Kefi.
“But it also helps the owners of the boats to track their boats so that thefts are also reduced.”
The initiative comes amid growing concern over illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing across the SADC region, where destructive fishing practices and overfishing are threatening fish stocks and food security.
Dr Kefi said Southern Africa currently faces a fish supply deficit of about 1.6 million tonnes despite a regional population of approximately 260 million people.
“We have a lot of problems in our natural water bodies. There is overfishing and the use of unregulated materials. Some people go into the waters using mosquito nets and other illegal fishing methods,” he said.
He said the African Development Bank-supported PROFISHBLUE programme was assisting member states to improve fisheries governance, strengthen aquaculture production and promote sustainable management of fisheries resources.
In Zimbabwe, the programme is also supporting fish value chains through cold-chain infrastructure aimed at reducing post-harvest losses among fish farmers and fishing communities.
Dr Kefi said a refrigerated truck provided under the programme was already helping transport fish from production centres such as Chinhoyi while maintaining quality and market value.
Livestock and Fisheries Production Department director Mr Milton Makumbe said the strengthening of Vessel Monitoring Systems was critical in promoting transparency and combating illegal fishing activities.
“The introduction and strengthening of Vessel Monitoring Systems are critical in promoting transparency, combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and ensuring the sustainable management of our shared fisheries resources,” said Mr Makumbe.
He said the PROFISHBLUE programme had recorded notable progress since its launch in 2022, including improvements in fisheries governance, institutional capacity building and enhanced cross-border trade systems.
Mr Makumbe said the outcomes of the technical committee meeting would feed into the upcoming SADC Ministers’ Meeting in Victoria Falls, where regional fisheries and aquaculture priorities will be discussed at the policy level.
The PROFISHBLUE programme is being implemented in several SADC member states with support from implementing partners that include FAO, WWF, WorldFish, ARSO and UNIDO.
Peter Tanyanyiwa