Conservation efforts: WWF-Pakistan, Maldives sign MoU to save tuna

They will work to conserve Maldives’ marine resources by sharing expertise.

LAHORE:

The World Wide Fund for Nature- Pakistan’s Smart Fishing Initiative has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and the government of Maldives, through its Marine Research Centre (MRC) to support Maldives in its efforts to provide sustainable management of tuna fish in the Indian Ocean during the next three years.

The agreement aims to extend technical and institutional support for the development and conservation of Maldives’ marine resources and will focus on the development of sustainable management practices for skipjack and yellow fin tuna in the Maldives. The MoU also aims to build and strengthen collaboration between the organisation and the government, and to share scientific expertise. They will develop and participate in Fisheries Improvement Projects in order to address global issues such as climate change and its effect on fisheries.



The MRC has agreed to provide facilities for the collection of information about oceanographic parameters through use of scientific equipment and access to available data. The WWF will also assist in research of fisheries resources and help the Maldives government to implement a rights-based management system for better marine resource management.

The WWF will provide technical expertise for capacity building and training exercises in areas including fish stock assessment, aquaculture practices, education and awareness and other related scientific studies. In addition to this the organisation will provide advocacy for the Indian Ocean Coastal States for sound management and conservation of tuna.

Seminar on corporate social responsibility to be held

The Second Regional Seminar on Rural Development and Corporate Social Responsibility, organised by the National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH), will be held on November 8. Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar will be the chief guest.

The seminar aims to provide an innovative platform for corporations, non-governmental organisations and donors to interact and share creative ideas for collaboration. It also aims to create awareness regarding corporate social responsibility.

Experts from several corporations, international NGOs, academia and international donor agencies will discuss emerging concepts and issues regarding corporate social responsibility and provide practical solutions and implementation techniques.

NFEH President Mohammad Naeem Qureshi, Director Mehmood Tareen, AKHUWAT Director Amjad Saquib, Oil and Gas Development Company Corporate Social Responsibility General Manager Irfan Babar, Human Development Foundation Chief Executive Officer Azhar Saleem, RBI Director Ambreen Waheed, former federal minister for information Arif Nizami, Bin Qutab Foundation Chairman Bashir Malik, the World Congress of Muslims Chairman president, Mirza Ishtiaq Baig of Make a Wish Foundation and NFEH Vice President Shahid Khan will speak on the occasion. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2013.