Case 3-17 Case study of value-added marine products in Mbour through the development of certified landing facilities

Mbour, certified landing sites, landing certificates, GIE (Groupement d’Interet Economique [Economic Interest Group]), GIEI (GIE Interprofessionnel: landing site management organisation), PROCOVAL

There are two certified landing facilities in the department of Mbour on Petite-Côte, but they are not sufficiently hygienic. Many fishing villages do not have landing facilities, and when fisheries products landed in these villages are exported to the EU, they must be transported to certified landing facilities in Mbour and Joal where they must obtain landing certificates. Therefore, there was a need to increase the number of certified landing facilities, improve the quality of the products landed and reduce the time and trouble required to issue landing certificates.

With the support of JICA’s PROCOVAL project, landing facilities were built at Ngaparou and Pointe Sarène in the department of Mbour. These facilities consisted of a landing area (weighing and washing room, packing and storage room, ice storage room, hygiene officer’s room, trade director’s room, GIEI room, control station manager’s room, cloakroom, toilets and shower room), a shellfish pre-processing room and a car park, and equipped with large cold rooms for ice storage and stainless-steel work benches. The GIE Inter-professional Landing Management Group (GIEI), composed of 25 members elected from all the Economic Interest Groups (GIEs) involved in the fishing industry in each fishing village, was responsible for the management and operation of these facilities. Of the 25 members, six members of the executive committee were elected, and a safety management committee, environment and fisheries resource management committee, equipment and materials committee and a sales promotion committee, each consisting of three or four members, were set up.

According to the PROCOVAL project leader, the GIEI members, management and operating body are fishers and fishmongers who are simply amateurs in the management of the facilities. It is therefore desirable that fishing companies with financial, technical and managerial capacities participate in the future management and operation of the facilities. To do so, the selection process must be fair so that the benefits are not skewed in favour of any particular company (group). For the management and operation of the facilities, including the employment of inhabitants, it is recommended that some management measures (e.g. setting up a committee or joint public-private financing) are introduced, respecting the wishes of the local community.

Chapter 3 Implementation of resource management measures

3.2 Measures to strengthen the sustainability of resource management

＜Quality Improvement at Landing Facilities>
The landing facility operations manager and staff promote the following activities:

• Regularly monitor whether landing facility management, fish processing operations, and certificate issuance procedures are being properly implemented.
• Issue landing certificates based on monitoring results and proper procedures.
• Analyse the landings statistics to reflect them in the facility’s operation and management plan.
• Check the status of operation and management of the facility and compile a report on income and expenditure.

This case is an effective reference for reducing post-harvest losses of marine products, increasing the added value of marine products, and promoting sustainable use of marine resources through the development of landing facilities. In particular, how to establish a system for issuing landing certificates required for exports to the EU is extremely important, as it pertains to the placement of certified landing sites.