SADC strengthens fisheries governance with third MCSCC Board of Directors meeting
Maputo, Mozambique– October 17, 2025
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) continues advancing regional cooperation to fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, with the organisation of the third meeting of the Board of Directors (BoD) of the Fisheries Monitoring Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre (MCSCC) in Maputo, Mozambique.
Over three days, from October 14 to 17, 2025, the BoD, convened to assess progress of the MCSCC, reaffirm commitments, and continue setting the course for the Centre’s full operationalisation. The meeting was officially opened by His Excellency Momade Arnaldo Juízo, State Secretary of Sea and Fisheries in Mozambique’s Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, and Fisheries (MAAP). Besides the SADC Secretariat, MCSCC partners Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF), World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and other partners were also invited to join open sessions of the meeting, reaffirming their ongoing commitment to the MCSCC’s mission.
In his address, His Excellency Juízo underscored the importance of regional leadership and unity in safeguarding marine resources. He highlighted the vision of SADC leaders, who, through the Protocol on Fisheries, committed to establishing the MCSCC to combat IUU fishing.
His Exellency Juízo expressed Mozambique’s pride in hosting this vital initiative. “The selection of Mozambique to host this Centre is an honorable mission. With the support of our regional partners and development agencies, Mozambique has dedicated itself to realising this vision. We appreciate the trust placed in our country to lead the resource mobilisation and construction of the MCSCC’s headquarters at Katembe in Maputo – a strategic milestone towards implementing the SADC MCSCC Charter,” he stated.
Since its establishment in Maputo, the MCSCC has been instrumental in coordinating regional MCS efforts to prevent IUU fishing activities across SADC waters. The recent meeting reaffirmed SADC’s commitment to advancing responsible fisheries management through capacity building, harmonised standards, and enhanced MCS mechanisms.
During the plenary, the Board reviewed key achievements, including outcomes from the MCSCC Operational Task Force (OTF) meeting and progress on the construction and handover of the MCSCC facilities. As the MCSCC building in Maputo is in its last steps of construction, a key issue on the agenda of the BoD was the sustainability of the MCSCC. The Board reviewed preliminary results of a sustainability study and resource development plan, currently being developed by the Interim Project Management Unit (IPMU) of the MCSCC. The Board also considered the recruitment of the MCSCC Executive Director to manage the day-to-day operations.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Stanley Ndara, Chair of the MCSCC Board of Directors, emphasised regional solidarity. “This meeting underscores our collective resolve to protect our shared marine ecosystems. The operationalisation of the MCSCC marks a significant milestone in our journey toward sustainable fisheries management,” he said.
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