TEDS PROGRESS: NOT YET READY TO EXPORT

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001048 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIS BEXP ETRD ECON MZ SUBJECT: TEDS PROGRESS: NOT YET READY TO EXPORT REF: 08 STATE 116650 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The GRM has shown some progress towards gaining Section 609 Certification for use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in the past year. A representative of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) believes that the Ministry of Fisheries, the GRM lead on this issue, is making insufficient progress on certification however. Post continues to support additional training requests made by the GRM and Post requests an update from OES on the dates of any additional technical assistance. END SUMMARY -------------- IMPROVEMENT AND REQUESTS FOR MORE TRAINING -------------- ¶2. (SBU) A combined State, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and NOAA delegation found in 2008 that Mozambique's TEDs program was more robust than expected (reftel),though Mozambique is still some years off of Section 609 certification. The delegation conducted training at the ports of Beira and Maputo. During one of the port visits, the delegation donated equipment for fisheries inspectors and left two samples of the TEDs. ¶3. (SBU) The GRM and IPEX (Mozambique Institute on Export Promotion) have formally requested additional training assistance. IPEX contacts told EconOff in late August that Europe has been the market of choice for Mozambican exporters of shrimp but with the new standards that the European market is requesting and low prices for shrimp, the local industry is searching for new markets, particularly the United States. -------------- TEDS AS PART OF TIFA -------------- ¶4. (SBU) TED certification is also a key item on the bilateral agenda of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). In the March 24 U.S.-Mozambique TIFA meetings in Washington, Minister of Industry and Commerce Antonio Fernando raised the TEDs certification issue with USG officials, and was also quoted in local news sources as saying that the GRM is working hard to export shrimp to the U.S. market. Post is engaged with the fisheries authorities to support Mozambique certification in order to market shrimp in the United States under AGOA. In a September 17 meeting with EconOff however, the National Director of International Relations for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce criticized the Ministry of Fisheries for poor implementation of TED regulations. The official said that progress is being made but sees no possibility of concrete Ministry of Fisheries action until after the current election campaign and its aftermath, likely in early 2010. She confirmed that TED certification is important to the GRM because Europe is also now requiring similar certifications. -------------- COMMENT/ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The GRM has made improvements, albeit slowly, in implementing TEDs. Post requests a status update from OES on when technical assistance can be offered again, given the recent requests from the GRM. Post recommends an assistance visit be conducted in early 2010. CHAPMAN