The project provided support to develop the expansion and diversification of Mozambique’s fish and aquaculture production and export potential; to develop the national standardisation strategy for the fisheries sector; and supported the implementation of the SADC-EU EPA in Mozambique with regard to the Fisheries sector.

Three-fold purposes:  To improve/facilitate the expansion and diversification of Mozambique’s fish and aquaculture production and export potential; developed the national standardisation strategy for the fisheries sector; and supported the implementation of the SADC-EU EPA in Mozambique with regard to the Fisheries sector.

Seven-fold outputs:

1. Document on monitoring diseases with recommendations;
2. Good practice guide on strengthening export competitiveness and quality management in fisheries;
3. Gap analysis on managements systems and compliance mechanisms;
4. Review of EU value chain and export requirements;
5. Analysis of current competencies and evaluation of areas requiring assistance;
6. Roadmap for ISO accreditation and checklist;
7. Assessment of regulatory infrastructure.

Intervention areas:

• Fisheries and aquaculture health concerns, recommendations for solutions;
• Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures for Fisheries;
• Good Practice Guide and trainings on s competitiveness and expanding fisheries and aquaculture production;
• Requirements for fisheries and aquaculture exports and EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary requirements;
• Standardization and conformity assessment mechanisms and strategy;
• Training on Management and Technical Requirements for testing laboratories and certification processes;
• Support for ISO 22000 and ISO 17020 accreditation;
• Fisheries Inspection and Quality Management based on ISO 17020;
• Rules of origin for fisheries products;
• Trade opportunities for women and youth;
• Conduct in-house training for officials on ISO 22000 and ISO 17020 certification and requirements.

Purpose 1: Improve/facilitate the expansion and diversification of Mozambique’s fish and aquaculture production and export potential

• Aquaculture Food Safety training manuals with localised content and graphic-design prepared in Portuguese;
• International Biosecurity training manuals with localised content and graphic-design prepared in Portuguese;
• Manual for Best Practices Applications Specific for First Sale Fishery Market;
• Ice Production training manuals with localised content and graphic-design prepared in Portuguese for Fisheries Products;
• Manual for Best Practices for Artisanal Fisheries Food Safety;
• Two training sessions were held with the active participation of the key stakeholders;
• Two-days Training of Trainers (ToT) session was held: (6-7 March 2019) for the key stakeholders;
• ToT/ Toolkit Guide prepared in Portuguese and widely shared;
• Three-days in-house theory and practical training covering Aquaculture, First Sale Market and Artisanal Fishery (9 -11 December 2019) was held for the key stakeholders;
• Training Materials prepared;
• Virus analysis carried out on fish samples;
• Two set of field work missions undertaken in Gaza, Inhambane, Maputo, Nampula, Tete, Sofala and Nampula; and feedback incorporated in the manuals;
• Legal framework review document including recommendations prepared;
• Good Practice Guide prepared in both English and Portuguese and shared widely;
• Fisheries Compliance manual prepared in English and Portuguese and shared widely.

Purpose 2: Develop the national standardisation strategy for the fisheries sector

• Results/ feedback from in-house consultations mobilized and incorporated into the technical assistance and capacity building framework;
• National standardization and conformity assessment strategy for the fisheries sector as well as an action/ implementation plan developed;
• Field visits to relevant institutions and in-house consultations carried out;
• Gap analysis Report of management systems and compliance mechanisms in Mozambique developed and submitted to the respective authorities;
• Evaluation and Gap Analysis of current competences both of the Beneficiaries Organisations as a whole and of the respective technical officials undertaken and results submitted to the respective authorities;
• Literature Review and Preparation of a national standardization and conformity assessment strategy for the fisheries sector as well as an action/ implementation plan undertaken;
• Organisation of a Multi-stakeholder training and validation workshop with beneficiaries and support institutions undertaken;
• Peer review sessions during the three-day workshop carries out;
• Capacity Building Sessions of beneficiaries during the final training and validation workshop successfully;
• In-house training of the key experts from the two beneficiary organisations on the practical aspects of updating the compliance system undertaken;
• Preparation of a roadmap for accreditation to ISO 17020 and ISO 22000 carried out;
• Preparation of a checklist for compliance review carried out;
• Capacity building on management of certification and standardisation processes and on the implementation of ISO 17020 and ISO 22000 systems carried out;
• Provision of technical support for the description of the Roadmap undertaken;
• Presentation of experience with similar authorities in Mozambique and SADC peer countries undertaken;
• Preparation of Manual on ISO 17020 carried out and the manual widely shared.

Purpose 3: Support the implementation of the SADC-EU EPA in Mozambique with regard to the Fisheries sector

• Organisation and delivery of in-house training sessions to trade and fisheries officials on Fisheries Rules of Origin carried out;
• Gap analysis of regulatory/ quality infrastructure obstacles in Mozambique’s fisheries sector in comparison with the SADC-EU EPA and CFTA regulatory requirements carried out;
• Analysis of Trading Opportunities in Fisheries carried out;
• In-house training sessions on the salient and most urgent elements of the SADC-EU EPA and the CFTA implementation faced by Mozambique’s fisheries sector carried out;
• "Trade Facilitation Challenges and Opportunities for Mozambique’s fisheries and aquaculture export growth and diversification into the EU and African markets" Report produced;
• Consultations with responsible government agencies to collect evidence on the quantity and quality of existing infrastructure, new infrastructure projects and their expected economic impact, and future priorities, such as export corridors and transport infrastructure undertaken;
• Trading opportunities and benefits under the SADC-EU EPA and the CFTA for the fisheries business community (including Women and Youth entrepreneur) identified;
• With the assistance of the National Fisheries Institute and the Ministry of Industry and Trade the key economic operators with high export potential were identified, and informed these of the opportunities under the SADC-EU EPA and the CFTA;
• Mapping trading opportunities for the fisheries sector and present to private sector beneficiaries in the form of an Analysis of Trading Opportunities in Fisheries Report carried out;
• Training and Validation workshop successfully held (January 2020) on the following thematic areas:
• Legal Framework and recommendations for its review;
• National standardization and conformity assessment strategy – ISO  22000 and ISO 17020;
• Challenges and Opportunities for export growth and diversification;
• High-level recommendations collected and included in the final report;
• Video dissemination on Fisheries Sector in the Mozambique (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkULMjSkt2k).