As Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar and Mauritius share the same fishing method in the tuna fishing industry – purse seining – they saw the need to align positions and agree on measures that need to be taken to make the fish stocks sustainable. Madagascar and Mauritius participated virtually.
Four fisheries ministers of Indian Ocean countries and representatives of fishing companies in those countries met in Seychelles on Thursday to exchange ideas for the upcoming Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) meeting.
The 26th session of IOTC will be held in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, from May 16 – 20.
Seychelles’ fisheries minister Jean Francois Ferrari told the press that those present want to see every member country in the Indian Ocean making the same or proportionate effort.
“If we need to reduce our catches other countries need to do it proportionately. Unfortunately, it hasn’t happened as there are other countries increasing their catches while we have decreased ours. We feel that this is not fair. We have an industry and canning factory to supply and jobs to maintain, as such it is important that this fishery continues,” said Ferrari.
