afrol News, 24 November - Angola's Fisheries Minister, Salomão Xirimbimbi, affirmed that by late 2008, the government plans to create at least 217,000 new jobs within the sector, taking into account the investments that have been carried out in the state-related and private sectors.

"There have been various research projects, whose results will contribute to the sustainable development of the country's fishing resources," reports the Angolan government's agency for private investments (ANIP).

Other actions included the reinforcement of the biological sampling program of commercial fishery, the improvement of equipment in the laboratories of quality control, as well as the development of the action lines for the research of continental waters' resources.

Minister Xirimbimbi had also highlighted the hiring of one more boat for oceanographic research. This, after concluded, would put Angola among the four biggest countries in the world with capacity of research in terms of ships.

The boat was said to have "a huge capacity", and only three countries have this kind of ship, including Spain, Scotland and Ireland. "If Angola can get it, then it will be the only country in Africa," ANIP reported.

The Angolan government already last year started developing new ideas to revitalise its fisheries sector, which yet has to overcome the destructions and divestments caused by the nation's long civil war. Last year, government investments started flowing into the artisanal fisheries, which currently employs some 25,500 fisherman - far lower than in the 1970s.

Angola's fisheries sector is believed to have a large potential if certain conditions are met. Along the coast, the northbound Benguela Current brings cold water and perfect conditions for larges fish stocks. The Atlantic waters off southern Angola, Namibia and South Africa are probably the richest in all of Africa.

Currently, traditional fishing yields are at a historic low, below 20,000 tons. This was three to four times higher in the late colonial times. Meanwhile, however, Angolan authorities have sold off large quotas to the European Union (EU), mainly harvested by Spanish trawlers.

Foreign trawlers are said to have caused great damage to Angolan fish stocks because their mostly unmonitored activities have been too close to the coast. The industry agrees that much research is needed into Angolan fish stocks and their sustainability.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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