As part of the project “Equipping Southwest Indian Ocean Countries to Combat Illegal Trade in Sharks and Rays”, a meeting was held to share results with various government partners, in Maputo, on the 31st of March of 2025.
The aim of the meeting was to present the progress made over the three years (2022-2025) of the project's implementation, highlighting key initiatives such as:
- Training of 36 government technicians in the visual and molecular (genetic) identification of traded shark and ray species.
- The strengthening of knowledge about trade in shark and ray species, helping the government to formulate more effective fishing policies.
- Community engagement, with a focus on Zambezia province, to disseminate sustainable fishing practices.
Group photo with participants of the meeting, including representatives from ANAC, INAMAR, the Lacustrine and Fluvial Coastal Police, the Natural Resources and Environment Protection Police, the Public Prosecutor's Office, WCS and Community Fishing Council of Costa del Sol.
The meeting was led by the Fish Inspection Institute (Instituto Nacional de Inspecção do Pescado - INIP) in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), bringing together 25 participants. Among them were senior executives and managers from public institutions involved in the conservation and management of sharks and rays, such as ANAC, INAMAR, the Lacustrine and Fluvial Coastal Police, the Natural Resources and Environment Protection Police, the Public Prosecutor's Office, as well as representatives from the Community Fishing Councils of Costa del Sol.
This event reinforced the importance of inter-institutional cooperation to protect marine species and combat illegal trade, consolidating the work undertaken throughout the project.
Director of the Mozambican Attorney-General's Office, Dr. Albino Macamo looking at one poster produced through this project to strengthening the knowledge of shark and ray protected species by national legislation