https://www.linkedin.com/posts/conservezim-conservezim-402997277_zimbabweans-begin-drafting-the-fisheries-activity-7301148852462493696-1OGT?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAAEOZZoIBX1-7rFcrw04ZfUeUPSSwOOU74oo. Zimbabweans Begin Drafting The Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill John Cassim History is being made in Zimbabwe as stakeholders in the fisheries and aquaculture industry contribute to the drafting of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill. Initial consultations were held in Nyanga, Manicaland, from February 24 to 25, followed by Bulawayo from February 27 to 28. The final consultations will be conducted in Kariba from March 2 to 3. Prior to this process, Zimbabwe lacked specific legislation dedicated to enhancing fish production to its full potential. Existing legislative provisions primarily cantered on conservation. This resulted in high fish production costs, with local fish selling at an average of US$4 per kilogram, compared to US$2.50 to US$3 (including shipping) from Zambia and Namibia. An inadequate regulatory and policy framework made the fish and aquaculture sector unattractive to investors, who opted for other regional destinations. In response to these challenges, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development (MLAFWRD Zim). developed a draft bill aimed at standardizing fish production and handling methods. The bill also seeks to address the fragmented approach to fish production, which has restricted new players due to triple levying and the need to adhere to international Food Safety Standards. Furthermore, the bill proposes establishing a directorate to ensure the appropriate development of standards for the management, sustainable use, development, and protection of all fisheries and aquaculture resources. The bill also advocates for the establishment of a fisheries and aquaculture fund, which, through an act of parliament, will accelerate fisheries and aquaculture development driven by research initiatives. Zimbabwe is already implementing the FISH4ACP program, an initiative of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States to support sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development. This is a value chain development program implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with funding from the @European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). “In 2021 and 2022, FAO conducted a consultative process through an aquaculture value chain analysis in Zimbabwe, which identified the policy and legal framework as a key issue and a necessary accelerator to unlock the sector's potential. I am pleased that today's meeting reaffirms that finding,” said FAO Regional Director, Dr. Patrice Talla Takoukam. “Zimbabwe lags behind in developing its fisheries and aquaculture industry. The existing Parks and Wildlife Act contains legal provisions governing the fisheries sector but primarily focuses on the conservation of aquatic life rather than its utilisation for economic and nutritional benefits,” said Dr. Anxious Masuka, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, in Nyanga.