MOZAMBIQUE REQUEST FOR TED TRAINING AND

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001285 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIS BEXP ETRD ECON MZ SUBJECT: MOZAMBIQUE REQUEST FOR TED TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION ¶1. SUMMARY: Charge received a request in December from the Mozambican Minister of Fisheries Cadmiel Muthemba for more U.S. support to train companies and fisheries inspectors on the use of Turtle Exclusion Devices ("TEDs") to overcome Mozambique's weak system of protection and allow the GRM to be able to enforce its existing law that requires the use of TEDs by all commercial fishermen. Muthemba recommended that if trainers were available, they could visit Mozambique between February 1 and 15, prior to the start of the fishing season. End Summary. ¶2. U.S. Embassy Maputo supports Mozambican TED training and certification because it is necessary to increase the quality of the Mozambican shrimp industry and to establish the potential export of Mozambican shrimp to the United States. To date, Mozambique has received three U.S. delegations engaged in training the private sector and the fishery authorities on the use of TEDs in the two major port cities of Beira and Maputo. In 2004, the GRM approved and passed its law mandating all commercial fishermen to use TEDs, justifying the initial visit of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (QNOAAQ) to train the GRM and private sector in the use of TEDs. There were subsequent NOAA visits in 2005 and 2008. The 2005 delegation donated Anglo meters for the fishery inspectors and left two samples of the TEDs in Maputo and Beira. The 2008 delegation informed U.S. Embassy Maputo that Mozambique's TED program was more robust than expected, although Mozambique is still not ready for Section 609 certification. The delegation stated that if the GRM maintained its current course, it could be ready for Section 609 certification as early as 2010. ¶3. Comment and Action Request: U.S. Embassy Maputo supports further training and support to assist Mozambican in receiving Section 609 certification, and requests Washington support for additional training in the February 1 to 15 timeframe. This certification is essential to the Mozambican shrimp market, which is one of MozambiqueQs leading exports. To date, Europe has been the principal market for Mozambican shrimp exports (shrimp exports to Europe in 2007 were 8,445 tons, of which only 269 tons were farmed shrimp); however, with new European laws regulating the shrimp industry, Mozambique is unable to continue in the European market without Section 609 certification and will continue to lack access to the U.S. market. CHAPMAN