ATLANTIC TUNA MEETING

Atlantic tuna meeting

EUROPECHE TUNA GROUP and COMHAFAT get closer to support local seafarers and fisheries

On April 12^th, representatives of COMHAFAT met with EUROPECHE TUNA GROUP to discuss tropical tuna fisheries issues: management of tropical tuna species in the Atlantic, resource sharing, technical measures on FADs, African sailors on-board purse seiners, local investments of the fleet and inshore facilities. Both industrial and artisanal fisheries were on the agenda, with environmental, economic and social sustainability at the centre of discussions. This meeting should be the first of a long list.

The EU purse seine fleet committed to launch a partnership with COMHAFAT to support local initiatives for artisanal fisheries. Abdelouahed Benabbou, Executive Secretary of COMHAFAT explains: “There are a lot of local projects in West Africa. They just need a small push to get started”.

Anne-France Mattlet, director of Europêche Tuna Group, states: “EU purse seiners’ activity depends heavily on trained seafarers and on-shore facilities in West African countries. We look forward to this cooperation with COMHAFAT on various projects that will benefit both coastal states and purse seine fisheries.”

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