China seeking fresh fisheries cooperation deal with Mauritania

China wants to sign a new fisheries cooperation agreement with Mauritania, a hub of fishmeal and fish oil production in West Africa. Beijing also wants to reinstate a fisheries dialogue between the two governments, China Deputy Minister for Agriculture Ma Youxiang, who is responsible for China’s fisheries regulation and policy, said during a recent visit to Mauritanian capital Nouakchott. Ma said China wants to cooperate with Mauritania on wild fisheries capture, aquaculture, and fighting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, according to a statement published by the China Agriculture Ministry.During the 27 May meeting, Ma met with Mauritania Fisheries and Marine Economy Minister Mokhtar El Housseinou Lam, who said his country welcomes Chinse investment in aquaculture and in fish processing and would, in turn, introduce policies to improve the local business environment for Chinese companies operating there.Lam pointed to the first fisheries access agreement signed ...