Balancing profit and preservation: Mauritania pushes for sustainable fishing with EU support

In nan bustling artisanal larboard of Nouadhibou, Mauritania, thousands of mini sportfishing boats — pirogues — hole to return to nan sea, arsenic a two-month partial sportfishing prohibition ends. This promises a caller drawback of octopus and different section species, providing  some income and nutrient for coastal communities. 

Mauritania sits atop 1 of nan world’s richest sportfishing grounds. The East Atlantic waters disconnected its seashore pull not conscionable artisanal vessels, but world fleets, bringing economical gains to nan nation. Yet, scientists and biology groups pass that galore food type are being harvested beyond sustainable limits, pinch immoderate stocks successful alarming decline. 

Fishermen successful Nouadhibou are progressively anxious. They opportunity that once-abundant food are now harder to find, forcing mini boats to task farther, utilizing much substance and taking greater risks. 

“We’re frightened because there’s thing successful nan oversea now,” says Moussa Tew, a fisherman who began sportfishing astatine 13, and now useful connected a pirogue pinch his sons. “You usage a batch of fuel, and you gain little money.” 

The situation mostly concerns mini pelagic food for illustration sardinella — affordable, nutritious, and basal for millions who trust connected them arsenic a superior macromolecule source. 

“Our biggest fearfulness is losing our resources, which are vital,” says Mohamed Fadel Ould Soueile, who heads FNPA, nan federation representing small-scale fishers. “If location are nary much fish, it’s a immense disaster for us.” 

Vital stocks deed by fishmeal boom

Climate alteration is simply a awesome factor, but galore opportunity business sportfishing vessels, often foreign-owned, airs a much contiguous threat. Some of these ships proviso Mauritania’s booming fishmeal industry, hauling successful hundreds of tonnes successful a azygous day. 

“A vessel tin time off astatine 8 a.m. and return by 2 p.m. pinch complete 500 tonnes,” says Mohamed Fadel. “This is driven by companies making fishmeal — they want maximum catch.” 

Fishmeal, made by drying and grinding food into powder for uses specified arsenic aquaculture provender and fertiliser, has go large business of late. Dozens of factories run on Mauritania’s coast, demanding immense volumes of fish. Environmental groups person warned that this manufacture progressively diverts food distant from section nutrient needs, depleting susceptible stocks to provender overseas food and shrimp farms. 

Some producers person pledged amended practices. The Mauritania Pelagic group, for instance, claims to attraction connected quality consumption, utilizing only discards for fishmeal and oil. Its vessels are certified to world standards, and food-grade catches are stiff to support nutrient security. 

Foreign finance successful fishmeal tin thief nan country, but only pinch due safeguards. According to Sidi Ali Sidi Boubacar of nan Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy, successful consequence to overfishing concerns, Mauritania has taken measures that led to simplification of nan number of business vessels from complete 70 to less than 15. Some fishmeal factories person closed, and others are being encouraged to instal refrigeration to sphere food for food, not conscionable fishmeal and food oil. 

A European partnership

Balancing economical gains pinch sustainability, Mauritania has collaborated pinch nan European Union nether a “Sustainable Fishery Partnership Agreement.” The EU pays €57 cardinal annually for European vessels to entree Mauritanian waters, connected nan information of taking only surplus stocks. 

"It's this costs that allows European vessels to food successful Mauritanian zones," explains Joaquin Tasso Vilallonga, nan EU's ambassador to Mauritania. "But it's besides accompanied by sectoral support to fortify nan capacities of Mauritanian institutions to negociate nan sportfishing assets sustainably." 

The statement includes a science-based guidance scheme launched successful 2022. It sets quotas, designates no-fishing zones, and establishes closed seasons to let food to reproduce. It besides addresses fishmeal and freezing practices. 

The EU backing supports artisanal sportfishing and helps upgrade Mauritania’s infrastructure — from ports and seashore defender vessels to investigation labs, quality parks, and food markets. 

The stakes are high. Fishing represents complete a 3rd of Mauritania’s exports and a 4th of authorities revenue. The manufacture supports arsenic galore arsenic 300,000 jobs, straight and indirectly.  

Because food migrate on nan West African coast, Mauritania’s occurrence depends connected broader location cooperation. Scientists are recommending harmonised guidance crossed borders. 

Researchers astatine IMROP, Mauritania’s oceanographic institute, study that immoderate food stocks are now recovering nether nan caller plan, though others stay critically depleted. Scientists telephone for a 60% simplification successful food mortality to let afloat recovery. This intends less boats, shorter seasons, and tighter enforcement - not an easy task for a region wherever sportfishing underpins some nutrient and income.  

Mauritania has fewer alternatives to relying connected its marine resources — but nan lives of early generations dangle connected keeping this captious wealth safe.