The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched mid-March the first of three missions aimed at drafting an action plan to help Ecuador’s increasingly important fishing industry to develop sustainably, industry websites have reported.
Already a large shrimp producer and exporter in recent years, Ecuador has made more use of its productive waters and has developed its off-shore commercial fishing fleet to the point where it is a noted producer of tuna.
The FAO’s main objectives, according to FAO consultant Max Aguero is to prevent overcapitalisation or overinvestment in vessels, gear and fishing equipment and halt the overexploitation of resources.
Mr Aguero also recommended, according to FIS.com, that local authorities keep a database of vessels, fishing equipment, costs prices and fishing units operations.
The mission will first make a general assessment of the Ecuadorian fishing sector after which work groups will be defined and strategic lines of action introduced for the documents drafting government sources reported. Quito aims to have these lines ready in six months. They also expect to have the work group formed within the same timescale.
Following the mission in Ecuador there will be similar ones to Colombia, Peru and Chile all countries that belong to the South Pacific Permanent Commission as the FAO helps the region make its fishing industry more sustainable.
Officials at the FAO were not available for comment.
