WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2010-09-21 Time: 02:00:04 Posted By: News Poster
By Amadou Jallow
The first conference of African ministers on fisheries and aquaculture began Monday at the conference hall of the Sheraton Hotel Resort and Spa in Brufut.
Funded by the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) and the African Union (AU) the Banjul conference will deal on the AU Paper on Fisheries Policy and Governance Reform in Africa. The paper stresses that a good governance framework is required for the delivery of the strategy, given that many fisheries are potentially extremely valuable assets.
It also observed that this framework should be based on the development of policies, institutions and processes to facilitate the planning, design and implementation of appropriate fisheries development and management arrangements. The conference, which has as its theme “African Fisheries and Aquaculture,” contributing towards agricultural development and economic growth, will kick-off with experts in fisheries developing a strategy plan for the African fisheries sector and aquaculture from 20-21st September, while the fisheries ministers will meet on the 23rd to agree or not to agree on the recommendations of the experts.
The experts will also access the implementation of the action plan of the NEPAD Fish for all, which was adopted by the head of states and governments in 2005, which plans to improve management of natural reserves of fish and to develop the aquaculture production and stimulate the fish trade at national, regional and world markets.
In his official opening statement at the conference, Lamin Kabba Bajo, the minister of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters said Africa’s fisheries sectors makes vital contribution to the food and nutrition security of over 200 million people and provides income for over 10 million people engaged in fish production, processing and trade. He added that fish has today become even a leading export commodity for Africa, but that its benefits have been at risk as the exploitation of natural fish stocks are reaching their catch limits and aquaculture production is yet to attain its potential.
Minister Bajo observed that there is still need for an agreement to ensure far greater consistency between existing fisheries initiatives at regional and national levels. He stressed that it is worthwhile to point out that individual states may well reform their fisheries policies and governance that remain vulnerable to the activities of their neighbours. Therefore, efforts will be needed to ensure regional collaboration, potentially through Regional Economics Communities (RECs) Regional Fisheries Bodies and other stakeholders to address the needs of shared, straddling and highly migratory stocks and high seas fish resources, he stated.
He then informed the gathering that the Gambia government recognises that the problems of depleting fishery stocks, degradation of coastal environment and the loss of coastal habitats are trans-boundary in character.
He continued: “We are fully aware of the strong challenges to be faced in the struggle to ensure that the precious fisheries resources of Africa are well conserved and protected. To overcome these strong challenges, there is an urgent need for a genuine cooperation among and between member states as well as the support of our development partners.”
He told the ministers and experts that the government of The Gambia and other African governments and their strategic partners are eagerly awaiting the findings and results of the conference. He used the opportunity on behalf of the government and people of The Gambia to thank their development partners for their individual and collective support. He also thanked the AU Commission, FAO, DiFID and NEPAD for their continued funding and technical support to the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
Gengezi Mgidlana, the representative of the chief executive officer of NEPAD said the conference comes after key decisions were agreed at the 14th and 15th AU Assembly on integration of NEPAD into the AU structures and process. The conference, he said marks another milestone in the implementation of the African continent?s vision on agriculture that prominently develops the fisheries sector. He described fisheries as an important component of the agricultural sector in Africa and emphasised that its sustainable management should be the responsibility of all.
Tim Bostock, fisheries advisor of the Department for International Development said 200 million Africans eat fish and in many parts, fish may be the only accessible protein food. African international trade in fish products, he disclosed, is estimated to amount to US$4.3 billion, with 8% of the global fisheries trade.
Bostock told the gathering that despite fish being one Africa’s must valuable renewable natural assets and in spite of the threats to their integrity, it still seems to remain strange that fisheries consistently fail to capture the serious attention of many donors and national governments. He stated that without doubt, better fisheries governance and management, combined with effective monitoring, improved market access and trade, must play an integral role in the sector.
He further disclosed that the failure of fisheries to generate and contribute sustainably to national growth is far from being just an African problem. Backing this fact, Bostock gave an example of the United Kingdom, where he said even though illegal fishing has been effectively dealt with, recent study demonstrate how unproductive that country’s fishing industry actually is.
Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, head of of security at the African Union Commission said food security is about having enough food in the right proportions, quantity and quality. Fisheries, he said, often provide the required animal protein sources to live a healthy life. For his part, Dr Babagana Ahmadu, the representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organsation (FAO) in The Gambia described fisheries, including aquaculture as a fundamental source of food, livelihood, trade and recreation for people around the world.
The important role of fisheries in the African agricultural sector, he pointed out, is highlighted by the fact that approximately 10 million Africans derive their livelihood from the fishing industry and are employed in different entry points of the fishing value chain.
Original date published: 21 September 2010
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201009210004.html?viewall=1