FNP – Fishing for small pelagics is undeniably the main resource in our waters. The IMROP Working Group which just ended in February 2023 confirmed a proven potential of 1,200,000T.
The exploitation of this very delicate sector needs its various complementary actors which are: ships and fishing boats, freezing factories and flour factories. The disappearance of one of these pillars will lead to the collapse of all this activity still in its first steps.
*Measurements The removal of pelagic purse seiners from their fishing grounds had led to their virtual cessation of fishing.
This made it possible to make the following observation: these areas are very poor in fish and the purse seiners which supply fresh products to the sixty processing, production and freezing plants, whose production is intended for human consumption and the 15 units fishmeal and fish oil production facilities are virtually shut down or running at 15% capacity.
This situation has made it possible to fatten pelagic fish in Mauritania for the benefit of neighboring countries because pelagic fish (horse mackerel, flat and round sardinella, mackerel, mullet, etc., etc.) migrate from the Gulf of Guinea to the Mediterranean and vice versa. Fishing has become abundant with our neighbors who congratulate us on this decision.
The 800 Moroccan seiners (which evolve 3 miles from the coast) and the fifty industrial trawlers fill up in a few days. We (Mauritanians) have drawn a highway for pelagic fish according to our colleagues from the north. Mauritania has participated in supporting the record fishing production in Morocco, which in 2022 reached 1,550,000 tonnes. This production increased by 21% compared to 2021 and this in part thanks to restrictive measures, blocking of Mauritanian and chartered trawlers and purse seiners.
* the application of a quota limit for flour factories to 4000T of whole fish, i.e. 800T of flour/year, with a new interpretation which includes rotten fish (unfit for human consumption) has just led to the immediate suspension of 4 of the largest flour factories in Nouadhibou. The other factories will follow in the coming days.
We draw the attention of the Public Authorities that the whole sector of small pelagics for freezing and processing will follow immediately.
Of course these (Mauritanian) restrictions generate immediate negative financial results that we quote:
– Fall in the turnover of freezing and flour companies whose investments exceed 54,000,000,000 MRO (fifty-four billion MRO).
– Compression and dismissal of staff, thus increasing unemployment in Nouadhibou for Mauritanians who had a stable job for about years (20,000).
– Closing of flour factories (currently about 40% are closed) and putting pelagic fish freezing factories on hold and stopping the production of these fish in HGT and IQF.
– Financial loss leading to delays and/or non-payment of salaries and bank loans.
– Shutdown and poor maintenance of Mauritanian factories and purse seiners (therefore increased risk of accidents and loss of equipment).
– Drastic drops in revenue from taxes, duties, central bank, ports, freight forwarders, wholesalers and carriers.
– Free fall in foreign exchange earnings and bank and SMCP receipts.
– Lack of investor confidence vis-à-vis Free Zone projects by both foreign and Mauritanian businessmen.
The fleet of Mauritanian and Turkish purse seiners for pelagic fish, which is the only one capable of bringing back small fresh pelagics in sufficient quantity, risks leaving Mauritania and of course this means the closure of 80% of the production units in the fishing (freezing pelagic fish and flour) leading to an exponential increase in unemployment in Nouadhibou and a major financial crash in the banking system and bankruptcy of companies.
In conclusion :
To get out of this crisis in the pelagic sector, which could lead to widespread bankruptcy, it is urgent to suspend the current measures to close the Factories and to carry out consultation with professionals to resume operating activities under optimal conditions for safeguarding the resource and the sustainability of the investments.
Nouadhibou, 03/20/2023
National Fishing Federation (FNP)
Sea Protein Industries Section