UGANDA: Recognising the essential role that fisheries and aquaculture play in the lives of over 10 million Africans, most of whom are among the rural poor, the African Union presented a strategy on the continental policy direction for fisheries and aquaculture at a side event during the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) Conference held in Uganda last week.

MALAWI: Responding to news articles highlighting the fraudulent use of Malawi as a flag state, the Ministry of Transport and Public Works has written to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to confirm that the country does not operate an international ships registry and call for action against those ships claiming to be flagged by the landlocked country.

SOUTH AFRICA: The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) will host two stakeholder engagements in July with the fishing industry to discuss the development of draft regulations for the construction and equipment on fishing vessels.

As a guest at a Cape Town function to celebrate the Day of the Seafarer I found myself contemplating the format of the event as mostly shore-based maritime stakeholders provided input into strategies and policies aimed to keep seafarers safe at sea. Editor, Colleen Jacka ponders how the maritime industry is choosing to host events such as the Day of the Seafarer.

The International Day of the Seafarer was celebrated across Africa yesterday as several maritime administrations hosted functions and posted messages to recognise the need for an increased focus on ensuring safe vessels that are free of harassment and bullying in line with this year’s theme for the day as announced by the International Maritime Organisation.

COMOROS: The blue economy has been identified as a “transformative opportunity” for Comoros to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth, according to a report published by the World Bank.

SOUTH AFRICA: Having completed a three-month safety audit of fishing vessels operating out of all of South Africa’s major fishing harbours, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has highlighted several concerns relating to the age of the fleet, stability issues and the lack of safety management systems.

The Gambia became the most recent African country to join the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) last month, highlighting the developing commitment from the continent to foster hydrographic skills and knowledge.