Δημοσιεύτηκε στις May, 12 2021

Closed since December 7, 2020, the reopening of the shrimp fishery has been delayed more than usual. In general, it reopens in March. This delay is explained by the various procedures related to the fisheries reform project in Madagascar, including shrimp fishing; a little patience ... this reform will be worth the wait because it will be beneficial for all stakeholders in the fishery.

Good news for the small fishermen? The concern of the latter has always been the conflict of space with the big industrial boats: the fishing place is the same, the small fishermen cannot compete with the big means of the fishing boats and therefore the captured products correspond to the means.  The MIHARI network asks itself this question: Can we hope that this imminent reform of the fishing takes into account the small fishers?

According to the new provisions taken by the government, the industrial fishing of the coastal shrimps will exploit the zone beyond the 02 nautical miles (that is to say 3,7 km from the beach towards the open sea), which gives a space for the small fishermen and would allow to mitigate the possible conflicts of fishing space. However, this must be effectively enforced by all parties, along with all other regulations around fishing.  It is important that each actor can benefit equitably from the natural resources and its spin-offs. It is important that each actor can benefit equitably from the natural resources and its benefits, that each one can enjoy his rights and, above all, that the exploitation of the marine resources is sustainable. Hence the establishment of its various regulations. Whatever will be the content of the new fishing reform, sustainability must be the key word.
Rakotomanahirana Justin, a fisherman in Kivalo, near Morondava, confirms that it is a relief for him and his fisherman friends not to see any boat loitering. "During the closure of the shrimp fishing season, the boats are not there, but we catch fish and I can tell you that there are plenty of them," he says. Indeed, the small-scale fishermen of his village claim to catch between 10 and 30 kg of fish each time they go out to sea in the absence of industrial boats, compared to only 2 to 10 kg during the period when the waters are open to boats.   
Even so, shrimp industry stakeholders are relieved that the fishing season is finally reopening. This long period of closure has allowed the stocks to renew themselves and the various species to reproduce and grow. The larger fish are easier to sell on the market, at a good price. Rakotomanahirana Justin makes a plea on behalf of the small fishermen of his village on the difficulties encountered during the fishing season with the presence of fishing boats in the same fishing area and proposes some recommendations in this video.