The mission manager of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and the director general of the Ministry of Fisheries and the Blue Economy announced, on Thursday, the end of the patrol mission to the governor of the Boeny region, Mokhtar Andriantomanga, at the administrative block in Ampisikina.
“The 62nd regional fisheries monitoring mission began in 2007, as part of the implementation of the Regional Fisheries Monitoring Plan (PRSP) in the country. Fisheries inspectors from IOC member countries, namely Seychelles, Comoros and Madagascar, participated in this operation in our continental waters. It is a cooperation event between the IOC member countries as well as the donor,” explains Marc Maminiaina, project manager of the Indian Ocean Commission. He specifies that it is “a mission of deterrence and prevention, and results have been obtained in our area”. The mission continues, since the raison d’être of this structure boils down to activities to combat illegal and illegal fishing. “The regional patrol is one of its missions. The PRSP is a regional operating mechanism. Exchanges of information and capacity building in terms of fisheries monitoring took place.”
The head of the Indian Ocean Commission indicates that cooperation is not limited only to members of the IOC, it also extends to the continental level. “Countries such as Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and the recently integrated Somalia have joined this PRSP activity of this Indian Ocean government organization. We managed to mobilize inspectors from these member countries. The Malagasy fishing surveillance boat in Toamasina, ‘Antsantsa’, was mobilized for the 62nd patrol,” he concludes.
The mobilization of the boat cost very expensive, ten thousand euros per day. The European Union participated in the financing of this PRSP operation.
“We are grateful for this initiative. As chief administrator of the Boeny region, I have a duty to always think about protecting its riches, whether land or sea. The objective is to preserve the resources necessary for the development of the region and the heritage to bequeath to future generations. The same goes for the protection of the environment and the forest, carried out every day with our technicians and partners. Let the patrol continue,” concludes the governor.
Vero Andrianarisoa