The first batch of safety equipment for safety at sea, intended for the fishing communities of the Comoros, was handed over to fishermen last Monday in the premises of the National Directorate of Fisheries. The handover and reception ceremony was conducted by the vice-president in charge of the Ministry of Fisheries.
This equipment, totaling 21 million Comorian francs, disbursed by the World Bank, consists of 70 global positioning systems, 140 lifejackets, 140 waxed, 140 pairs of gloves, 225 hand-held fires, 75 smoke, 150 parachute flares and 70 mirrors. Tools are that will improve the daily working conditions of fishermen and promote the culture of safety at sea.
On this occasion, the Vice-President stressed that these materials will meet the regulatory imperatives and, taking into account the economic difficulties of the sector, the Comorian government has made the fisheries sector a national priority in the process of emerging country by 2030.
Abode in safety clothing said that this safety equipment at sea is very useful because the fishing sector “contributes 8% of gross domestic product (GDP) and provides 32,000 direct and indirect jobs”.
The Resident Representative of the World Bank in the Comoros, Rasht Petrel, argued that this equipment, intended for Comorian fishermen, is among the results of the Cores project which ended on April 31st. This project is being replaced by another named Sailfish, the first project of governance of fisheries and shared growth in the South-West Indian Ocean, said the Resident Representative.
As for the Commissioner in charge of Agriculture and Fisheries, Amada Vises Ali wears the safety vest, he said that “our sinners must take their responsibilities because for the Comoros to be an emerging country, we need the contribution of each of us, all categories”.