South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has just inked a statement of intent to cooperate on fisheries with Russia during the 5th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in Durban. Overall, nine agreements were signed by ministers from both countries to work together.
South Africa does not currently export fisheries products to Russia.
The statement signed by both parties acknowledges the importance of technical and economic collaboration among developing countries through the exchange of fisheries information, knowhow and research and its advantages for both countries, the South African Government said in a statement.
“We have to gear our energy towards ensuring that the agreements that we sign among our partners will be converted into action, said Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Tina Joemat-Pettersson. This agreement will be beneficial to South Africa for a number of reasons, including capacitating human capital through training opportunities and combating unregulated fishing.
Poaching has major repercussions for the sustainability of our resources,” Joemat-Pettersson continued.
The purpose of the statement of intent is to conclude on a future agreement on cooperation in the field of fisheries based on conservation and the rational use of living marine resources; fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; exchanging data on fisheries-related issues that would profit both parties; cooperating on activities of the international fisheries organisations; fisheries research and creating scientific programmes; aquaculture development; educating and training specialists to meet industry needs; developing joint projects in fisheries; and processing and marketing fish products.
South Africa’s commercial fisheries sector contributes about ZAR 6 billion (USD 646.7 million) to the national economy and sustains thousands of jobs.
Following his meeting with President Jacob Zuma this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that intra-trade between the two countries jumped by 66.3 per cent in 2012.
In 2011, total trade turnover between the two countries leaped by 6.42 per cent from 2009, from USD 484-million to USD 517-million, according to figures provided by the South African government.
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