In an important milestone in the development of cooperative fisheries management in Bander Beyla, Puntland, the Director General of Puntland's Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, the Chief of the Ceenaad Fishing Cooperative of Bander Beyla, and Secure Fisheries’ Puntland field manager signed a power-sharing agreement on October 5 officially establishing the first co-management association in the Somali region. The power-sharing agreement formalizes a partnership between fisheries resource users in Bander Beyla and the Government of Puntland, with Secure Fisheries committing to a supportive role for the association. Members of the Puntland Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources and a number of fisheries resource users from Bander Beyla District were also in attendance at the signing.
Stipulations of the agreement were decided upon during an August 13 meeting, with each party committing to different roles and responsibilities. The agreement is an important step toward improving fisheries management and livelihoods and managing and preventing resource conflict. Secure Fisheries looks forward to supporting the new co-management association.
