WWF Pakistan is to support Maldives in its efforts to provide sustainable management of tuna in the Indian Ocean during the next three years.
WWF Pakistan in collaboration with WWF’s Smart Fishing Initiative (SFI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture (MoFA), Government of Maldives, through its Marine Research Centre (MRC).
The purpose of this agreement is to mutually extend technical and institutional support for the development and conservation of Maldives’ marine resources.
WWF will focus on the development of sustainable management practices for skipjack and yellow fin tuna.
The MoU also aims to build and strengthen the collaboration between both organisations and to share scientific expertise.
Both parties will develop and participate in Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIP) and address global issues such as climate change and its effects on fisheries.
MRC has agreed to provide facilities for the collection of information about oceanographic parameters and will help research fisheries resources and implement rights based management (RBM) systems for better management.
WWF will provide technical expertise for capacity building and training exercises in areas including fish stock assessment, aquaculture practices and education and awareness.
In addition, the organisation says it will help voice the opinions of Indian Ocean Coastal States for sound management and conservation of tuna and tuna-like species.
