Fisheries Observer Agency chief executive Stanley Ndara has been reappointed as chairperson of the SADC Regional Fisheries Monitoring Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre.
The decision was by SADC ministers responsible for agriculture, food security, fisheries and aquaculture at a joint ministerial meeting held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe on 29 May.
The renewal gives Ndara a second term leading the regional body responsible for monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing activities across Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states.
The surveillance coordination centre is based in Maputo, Mozambique, and works to support member states in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The ministers said the renewal ensures continuity in leadership and strategic direction of the centre, in line with Article 14 of its founding charter.
They also approved the second term for several board members from Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, Lesotho, Zambia and the SADC Secretariat.
At the same meeting, the ministers endorsed the appointment of a candidate from Zambia as executive director for a four-year term, with a contingency plan to appoint a candidate from Mozambique if needed.
They also called on member states to pay outstanding contributions and strengthen participation in regional fisheries monitoring programmes.
The ministers further supported regional strategies to phase out illegal monofilament nets and other destructive fishing gear.
They also commended international partners including the African Development Bank, European Union, Germany’s BMZ, GIZ, the United States government, the World Wildlife Fund, Oceans 5, Stop Illegal Fishing and other technical agencies for continued support.
They urged countries that have not yet signed the surveillance coordination centre’s charter to do so and support full operationalisation.
The ministers also noted progress made by Mozambique in hosting the centre, including registration as a diplomatic organisation.
Ndara says the renewed mandate will help strengthen cooperation among member states in protecting marine resources.
The SADC fisheries monitoring centre plays a key role in sharing data and coordinating surveillance operations across the region.
Member states say the reappointment will ensure stability in the leadership of the regional fisheries body at a time of increasing pressure on fish stocks.
The ministers also called for stronger cooperation between governments and partners to improve enforcement against illegal fishing activities in SADC waters.
The meeting ended with a renewed commitment to sustainable fisheries management in the region.
For Namibia, the continued chairmanship is seen as a sign of trust in its role in regional fisheries governance and efforts to combat illegal fishing.
It also places the country in a position to influence regional policies on marine conservation and sustainable use of ocean resources.
