Mauritania small pelagics - purse seine

The Mauritanian Small Pelagic FIP was initiated by a partnership between the Mauritanian fishery authority, the Mauritanian oceanographic and fisheries research institute (IMROP), local businesses, and international fishmeal and oil buyers. The fishery consists of artisanal and coastal purse seine and pelagic trawl vessels targeting mainly sardine (with some other small pelagics according to availability and current regulations) in Mauritanian waters. The FIP aims to support the government in working towards robust management and long-term sustainability of the resource, and also in other policy aims around improving value-added and support to food security. The MarinTrust Standard was initially chosen as the benchmark for the assessment and work plan but in 2021 a MSC pre-assessment was conducted and the workplan revised so that it now addresses both standards.

This FIP has recently progressed to MarinTrust version 3 and has created a new workplan and timetable to reflect this new benchmarking and actions.

As well as a focus on the sustainability of the fishery, an important element of the FIP is the following:

Refocus the fishery on the human consumption market

Following the national policy objective, an increasing proportion of small pelagic landings from the fishery enter human consumption supply chains, rather than FMFO supply chains. FMFO production comes increasingly from byproducts of processing for human. The FIP aims to also support the vessels and factories in improving their systems (quality, handling, sanitary processes, traceability, certifications) and making investments towards human consumption supply chains by:

• Keeping FIP participants informed about issues around quality, sanitary processes, traceability, international markets etc
• Working with MPEM to ensure that improvements to infrastructure in the port and factory areas of Nouadhibou continue to be prioritised
• Supporting factories with certifications