VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHTO #1285 3591000
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241000Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
INFO SECSTATE WASHDC 9743
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