EAF-Nansen Programme

Angola welcomed the research vessel Dr Fridtjof Nansen with an event that marked the start of the first survey in 2023

10/02/2023

 

10 February 2023, Luanda, Angola – Angola welcomed the research vessel Dr Fridtjof Nansen as she arrived in the port of Luanda for the start of the first research survey in 2023. On the occasion, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources of the Republic of Angola, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Angola and FAO organized an event on the dockside, inviting Government officials, diplomatic community, and representatives from public and private sectors on a guided tour aboard the vessel to learn more about the unique research facilities that have served the EAF-Nansen Programme for almost five decades.

The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Angola, Dr Carmen Sacramento Neto, attended the event during which it was noted that as a partner country of the EAF-Nansen Programme, Angola has benefited from several national and regional research surveys carried out by the Dr Fridtjof Nansen. They have provided data and information about the ocean and fishery resources that have been used to make informed decisions on how to manage the marine resources sustainably. 

The Dr Fridtjof Nansen and its state-of-the-art equipment is an integral part, and an important tool to the EAF-Nansen Programme that is dedicated to build capacities of fisheries institutions, advance fisheries management and strengthen scientific knowledge on marine resources and ecosystems. Regional and country-specific efforts are supported with the aim of achieving food and nutrition security through sustainable fisheries management systems.

In collaboration with 32 countries across Africa and the Bay of Bengal, the Programme is improving fisheries policies and management practices in line with the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF), and developing the capacity of fisheries institutions to ensure sustainable fisheries management.

“It is a privilege for FAO to continue to provide technical support to member countries like Angola, to promote and implement initiativesand actions that have contributed to institutional strengthening, multi-sectoral capacity building and applied research to promote the development of the blue economy”said Mr Anastacio Gonçalves, who represented the FAO representative in Angola.  Ultimately, the efforts contribute Blue Transformation, FAO’s vision for sustainable aquatic food systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all.

Owned by Norway, operated by the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (IMR) and sailing under the UN flag, the Dr Fridtjof Nansen is a platform for international cooperation between the collaborating agencies, member countries and partner organizations of the EAF-Nansen Programme.

The Ambassador of Norway to Angola, Mr Bjørnar Dahl Hotvedt, underlined the importance of international cooperation for improving the understanding of the ocean and its resources, and noted the EAF-Nansen Programme remains a constant factor in the bilateral relations between Norway and Angola. “During many decades, Angolan marine biologists and other experts have received training on board the various versions of the Dr Fridtjof Nansen, and the competence they have acquired have served to improve the management of the country’s rich marine resources, which is vital for food security and employment along the coast”, he stated. 

The event in the port of Luanda marked the start of the series of research surveys that will be conducted by the EAF-Nansen Programme in 2023. From 12 to 21 February, the vessel will study the mesopelagic fish community, its biological composition and acoustic properties, and collect biological samples of mesopelagic organisms in the waters of Angola.  

From 24 February to 28 March a second survey will take place. This time, focus will be on the abundance and distribution of the pelagic fish resources, and the oceanography and plankton community off the coast of Angola, and later also in Namibian waters. During these surveys, training and providing experience in marine research techniques to local scientists will be delivered, which is another important purpose of all surveys with the Dr Fridtjof Nansen. 

The EAF-Nansen Programme is a longstanding partnership between the FAO and Norway, dating back to 1975. To date, the Programme has collaborated with 58 countries across Africa, Asia and South America, assisting them in the field of fisheries research and management.  

While the current phase of the Programme is ending in 2023, plans are already underway for the future. In the next phase, from 2024 to 2028, the Programme will have an increased focus on governance and the science-management policy nexus, supporting countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and contributing to the objectives of ongoing initiatives such as the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. 

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