A workshop in Nouadhibou has brought together key players in octopus fishing, management, research and trading in order to launch a sustainable fisheries plan.
The workshop presented the results of an MSC pre-assessment and proposed an action plan called the octopus fishery improvement project (FIP), which was approved by representatives from Société Mauritanienne de Commercialisation de Poisson (SMCP) and the Mauritanian Association of Octopus Producers and Exporters (AMPEP).
“Given the importance of Mauritanian octopus for our markets and its recognised quality by us and our customers, we wish to demonstrate our strong interest in ensuring that Mauritanian octopus comes from a responsibly managed fishery,” said Mari Carmen Fernandez of Angulas Aguinaga.
Continued support
SMCP’s support to the project represents the continuation of Mauritania’s national efforts towards protecting the fishery, which have been ongoing since 2017, but were interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the opening and closing of the workshop, Dedde Barham, representing the Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy (MPEM) and Mohamed El Mamy Zerough from SMCP, confirmed the commitment of the authorities to the implementation of the project.They also encouraged stakeholders to continue their collaborative efforts.
AMPEP, which was set up in 2022, was established to be open to all professionals involved in the octopus sector in Mauritania.
The operational goal pursued to date is to initiate and implement a FIP, ensure its implementation and take actions that demonstrate the country’s credibility as a responsible producer.
The pre-assessment report identifies gaps in performance indicators, especially in terms of available information to address MSC Principle 2, which evaluates the fishery’s impact on the environment and habitats. Additionally, the report highlights some weaknesses in stock assessment and management.
Nevertheless, the report demonstrates that Mauritania conducts regular monitoring of the resource and has a national strategy aimed at protecting and conserving fishery resources.
Global octopus production has shown steady growth. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that production has increased from 37,000 tonnes in 1950 to more than 500,000 tonnes in 2015.
According to the FAO, Mauritania is one of the world’s top five first octopus producers, with average annual (2019-2021) octopus production of 35,900 tonnes, representing around 8% of global production.
The Société Mauritanienne de Commercialisation de Poisson (SMCP) estimates that annual octopus exports totalled approximately 40,000 tonnes in 2022.
From 2 to 4 October, SMCP will attend the Conxemar exhibition in Spain where it will be presenting the FIP project and inviting national and international octopus buyers to join and support the initiative.
