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The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), working with the European Union has completed the deployment of 25 Fish-Aggregating Devices (FADs) – or 'fish magnets' – along Somalia's 3,300 km coastline, aiming to boost the nation's small-scale artisanal fisheries and tackle food insecurity and malnutrition to some extents by sustainable usage of the devices.
In a statement issued today, FAO explained that the devices consist of a floating buoy and so-called 'habitat mat' a few metres across. "Plant life quickly grows under the mat, attracting large numbers of fish – in essence crating new high – density fishing grounds where none existed before," the statement said. |
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These 'fish magnets' will attract many different fish species, including tuna, that normally small – scale fishers cannot easily catch, making fishing more safe and efficient, while also encouraging fishers to switch their fishing efforts away from habitats such as coral reefs and sea grasses that are vulnerable to overfishing.
"The FADs initiative is at the heart of the work by FAO and our partners to boost coastal livelihoods, strengthen resilience, and tackle the underlying causes of piracy – illegal fishing, degradation of local fisheries, high levels of youth unemployment, and food insecurity," said FAO representative in Somalia, Richard Trenchard. |
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