Per Erik Bergh

Fishing vessel inspection: an area where 🇿🇦 #fisheries #MCS officers excell, and valuable expertise to share within the #SADC through the @sadcmcscc – raising the bar of regional MCS capacity. "We @Environmentza are showing the world that Cape Town is not a port of convenience"

#IUUfishing often involves issues that #fisheries authorities cannot solve alone. Other relevant agencies need to understand those risks and the role they can play to address them. This is what we are working towards this week in 🇸🇨 #multiagency #MCS #capacitybuilding @sadcmcscc

Day 4 🇸🇨 training: time to put it all into practice! Today, we concluded the training with a #fishing vessel inspection exercise at port, with a well prepared inspection team. The key: they had done a risk assessment on the vessel prior to the inspection. Well done!

Well done Ghana🇬🇭 for finalising Standard Operating Procedures (#SOPs) for risk assessments and inspections of #fishing vessels – the result of multiple consultations and testing on the field. A great model for the @FCWC_CPCO and regional fight against #IUUfishing

"#Compliance has increased massively since we started conducted systematic risk assessments & inspections of #fishing vessels coming to our port" – a visible result of Tema's 🇬🇭#fisheries officers' commitment to build their #MCS capacity, that vessel operators have noticed too.

Happy to be back in Tema to take the next steps towards effective implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for risk assessment and inspection of fishing vessels – working with Ghana🇬🇭 "to build a barrier against #IUUfishing" @FCWC_CPCO #WATF

Back in Angola 🇦🇴 to continue cooperation with #fisheries inspectors from Luanda – a good first day showing progress in #MCS and regional cooperation against #IUUfishing since the beginning of capacity-building early 2024. Another step forward for the @sadcmcscc ! @SADC_News

We enjoyed the lively discussions with Luanda's #fisheries officers yesterday – focussed on practical case studies and on how to make the most of existing tools to assess risks of #fishing vessels. Definitely exciting to be a #fisheries inspector in Angola🇦🇴 @sadcmcscc @SADC_News

Today, we have started coaching #MCS MONICAP officers in Luanda🇦🇴 – focussing on technics & tools like #Seavision to build capacity to monitor their waters. One of the powerful tools we are committed to help them master – supporting Angola in combatting #IUUfishing #SADCAtlantic

SADC's #MCSCC Board of Directors meets today in 🇿🇦, the 2nd time since starting duty in June. This is the 1st BoD official meeting, with key decisions to be made for the governance & operations of the MCSCC. Another major step forward for regional cooperation against #IUUfishing.

Today in Maputo started the 2nd meeting of the @SADC_News #MCSCC Task Force. “The Task Force is here to ensure that operations of the MCSCC are implemented ” said SADC fisheries advisor Motseki Hlatshwayo, recalling how far SADC has already come in terms of MCS.

H.E. Minister Lídia Cardoso welcomed the 1st #MCSCC Board of Directors into office, as she opened the inaugural meeting of the Board in Maputo ─ underlining its big responsibility in fulfilling the commitments of the #SADC to regional cooperation against #IUUfishing. @sadcmcscc

@BlahaFrancisco You can!

Six months ago, we developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on conducting risk assessments & inspections with Tema's #fisheries officers - and we are now testing and improving them to fit their work practices. A key #MCS tool that will be beneficial for all FCWC countries!

#IUUfishing is complex, involving much more than illegal fishing. Those engaging in IUU fishing are more likely to commit offences on labour abuse, vessel safety & engage in other crimes. In Cape Town, we are putting MCS officers in real life conditions to address such challenges

Proud to announce our commitment for #OurOcean, shared with the MCSCC "to implement a Regional Register of Fishing Vessels". This will include the requirement to meet minimum harmonized transparency standards — vessels not meeting these standards being denied access to the region

"We have to keep fighting for #transparency and against #IUUfishing, and take actions to make sure #ourOcean thrives", says Minister of Fisheries & Blue Economy of #Madagascar at @OurOceanGreece – an "ocean of potential" that we must all preserve.

Impressive demonstration of African leadership to protect #OurOcean. SIF is proud to be the co-host of such a high level panel at @OurOceanGreece🇲🇬🇲🇷🇨🇲🇬🇭🇬🇳🇰🇲🇬🇼 #stopIUUfishing

"The captain's respect for you will grow because you are doing your work properly” – 🇳🇦 Walvis Bay #fisheries inspectors on the bridge with SIF expert JD Kotze – motivated to implement best practices in the conduct of inspections, and play their critical role to fight #IUUfishing

"#IUUfishing is complex, but there are many risk indicators that can alert you". The SADC MCSCC is here to help the region identify these risks and dig further into them. #MCS officers in 🇳🇦 encouraged to fully use the potential provided by the MCSCC & its advanced MCS tools.