Maputo — Mozambique loses between 60 and 70 million dollars a year as a result of illegal fishing and tax evasion by vessels not licensed to carry out maritime operations.

According to the spokesperson of the National Maritime Institute (INAMAR), Leonid Chimarizene, who was speaking in Maputo, at the 2nd Meeting of the Operational Working Group of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Fisheries Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre (MCSCC), in order to reduce the number of cases, the government, in partnership with other SADC member countries, is working to combat illegal fishing.

"A vessel that is not on the legal circuit ends up damaging the country in various ways. Illegal fishing can't be combated individually, that's why the countries of the region are here', Chimarizene said.

The government, he said, has been increasingly committed to combating illegal fishing, which is why the country is responsible for managing the SADC Regional Fisheries Coordination Centre (MCSCC), based in the municipal district of Ka Tembe, in Maputo city.

For his part, a representative of the SADC Secretariat, Motsoki Hlastshwayo, expressed his appreciation to Mozambique, for making the MCSCC operational.

"The Centre is working and at the same time providing training to southern African countries', he said. "It shares information with SADC member countries and has drones to check what kind of boat we have in our waters and this information is sent to other countries to check its legality'.

Regarding the fight against illegal fishing in Mozambique and the region, he said "It's not a small matter. It's necessary to invest in instruments that can help reduce illegal fishing".