65. The Workshop Facilitator thanked FAO for organizing the Workshop which he said was both timely and very helpful. It provided participants with the necessary tools to prepare NPOAs-IUU. As a result of the Workshop, the various international instruments, such as the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the IPOA-IUU were now more comprehensible and clearer to participants. The Workshop Facilitator urged participants to seize the opportunity and to do their utmost to tackle the serious threat posed by IUU fishing.
66. On behalf of the FAO Subregional Representative for Southern and East Africa, the Workshop Coordinator, Mr Harris, thanked all participants for their cooperation and active participation in the Workshop. He expressed FAO’s continued commitment to the implementation of the IPOA-IUU in the region in close cooperation with Members and, as appropriate, regional organizations. He pointed out that this Workshop had been a good opportunity for many senior fisheries officials of the subregion to meet and address the important issue of IUU fishing, as well as to exchange views on other relevant regional fisheries issues. He expressed the hope that participants would continue to keep contact with the Subregional Office so that some of these regional issues could be addressed. Finally, he thanked his FAO colleagues and participants for a successful Workshop and wished them a safe and pleasant journey home.
67. The Technical Secretary, Dr Doulman, also thanked the participants and FAO colleagues for their dedication and hard work during the Workshop. He expressed his gratitude to the Workshop Facilitator. The Technical Secretary stressed the importance of the effective implementation of the IPOA-IUU in the southern and east African region where the responsible management and utilization of all fisheries were of the utmost social and economic importance. He reiterated that FAO gave high priority to the implementation of the IPOA-IUU, to achieving long-term sustainable outcomes in fisheries and to ensuring that the fisheries sector made a maximum contribution to food security. The Technical Secretary expressed his gratitude to the staff of FAO’s Subregional Office for Southern and East Africa in facilitating administrative arrangements for the Workshop.
68. On behalf of the Workshop participants Mr. Peter Katso Schivute, Chief Control Fisheries Officer, Walvis Bay, Namibia, thanked Ms Victoria Sekitoleko, FAO Subregional Representative for Southern and East Africa and her dedicated staff for their hard work in making this workshop a success. He pointed out that Ms Sekitoleko’s opening statement provided valuable advice as to the direction that countries should take concerning fisheries management and development. Mr Schivute gave particular thanks to Mr Harris, Mr Ssentongo and Ms Chagonda from the FAO Subregional Office, Harare as well as to Dr Doulman and Ms Guyonnet from the FAO Fisheries Department, Rome. He stated that their hard work and dedication in preparing the various Workshop sessions had been much appreciated by participants. Mr Schivute also added that FAO had brought the participants together to speak a common language about how to combat IUU fishing. Participants recognized that IUU was a major impediment to the achievement of long-term sustainable fisheries. IUU fishing was also a universal phenomenon that occurred in both marine and inland capture fisheries. He noted that the workshop had been successful in highlighting the issue of IUU fishing and in identifying appropriate courses of action to address the scourge. As a result, participants were now well armed to return to their countries to develop their respective NPOAs-IUU. In conclusion Mr Schivute urged participants to take home what they had learned and share it with colleagues. He added that participants must strive to ensure that the IPOA-IUU is turned into action rather than just remaining a statement of good intent.
69. The proposed follow-up action to the Workshop, as reflected in paragraph 64 of this Report, were adopted on 28 November 2003.
