Japan partners with FAO on Somalian fisheries project

Editor/Mohamed Shihab

Japan has partnered with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on an initiative aimed at modernizing fisheries infrastructure and mitigating IUU fishing activities in Somalia.

The USD 2 million (EUR 1.7 million) initiative entails making investments in the East African nation’s landing sites and vessel repair facilities, as well as promoting responsible fishing practices and creating more employment opportunities, especially within coastal communities.

More specifically, the project aims to build an integrated government and fishing community hub in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, a solar-powered fish market with cold storage, and a new service workshop for boats and engines built by Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese multinational conglomerate that manufactures a wide range of motorized products.

Cold storage, in particular, has been an issue in the country, with the Somali Development and Reconstruction Bank estimating that inadequate cold storage facilities have led to post-harvest losses of between 30 percent and 40 percent of total catch.

Japan's Ambassador to Somalia, Matsuura Hiroshi, said that through the project, Japan hopes to "bring our knowledge, technology, and innovative practices to the table, which we hope will accelerate Somalia's progress in unlocking the full potential of its blue economy and creating real job opportunities for the coastal communities that depend on these resources."

"This project contributes to the revitalization of Somalia's industry by establishing an environment conducive to proper fishing operations and providing support for monitoring illegal fishing in Mogadishu," Hiroshi’s office said in a statement.

For Japan, helping limit IUU fishing in Somalia is not just an altruistic endeavor; it also helps Japan solve a maritime security issue, as the practice has been linked to the decimation of fishing stocks and, therefore, has pushed former fishers into piracy to earn money, which poses a threat to the safety of Japan’s marine transportation routes, especially through the Gulf of Aden that borders Somalia.

The new project should help Somalia boost its enforcement capacity against illegal fishing practices, Hiroshi said.

FAO Communications Specialist in Somalia Saadiya Hajidahir told SeafoodSource the official project launch is scheduled for November.

The initiative comes shortly after Somalia stated its desire to rapidly improve its fisheries infrastructure, especially as China announced plans to eliminate all tariffs on imports of African goods.

“This policy change holds great potential for Somali seafood exports. However, realizing a significant increase in exports will depend on addressing several critical enablers, particularly in infrastructure, compliance, and market access facilitation,” Nor Daud Ibrahim, a fisheries officer at the Somalia Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, told SeafoodSource in August. “This includes strengthening seafood quality standards to meet international safety and traceability requirements. It also includes facilitating both local and international investment into the Somali fisheries sector and developing and implementing comprehensive fisheries policies, strategies, and legal frameworks to ensure that all required technical systems and official controls are in place.”