VZCZCXRO2355
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHTO #1048 2661107
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231107Z SEP 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0752
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001048 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIS BEXP ETRD ECON MZ
SUBJECT: TEDS PROGRESS: NOT YET READY TO EXPORT 
 
REF: 08 STATE 116650 
 
¶1. (SBU)  SUMMARY: The GRM has shown some progress towards 
gaining Section 609 Certification for use of Turtle Excluder 
Devices (TEDs) in the past year.  A representative of the 
Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) believes that the 
Ministry of Fisheries, the GRM lead on this issue, is making 
insufficient progress on certification however.  Post 
continues to support additional training requests made by the 
GRM and Post requests an update from OES on the dates of any 
additional technical assistance. END SUMMARY 
 
------------------------------------------ 
IMPROVEMENT AND REQUESTS FOR MORE TRAINING 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  A combined State, National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS) and NOAA delegation found in 2008 that 
Mozambique's TEDs program was more robust than expected 
(reftel), though Mozambique is still some years off of 
Section 609 certification.  The delegation conducted training 
at the ports of Beira and Maputo.  During one of the port 
visits, the delegation donated equipment for fisheries 
inspectors and left two samples of the TEDs. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The GRM and IPEX (Mozambique Institute on Export 
Promotion) have formally requested additional training 
assistance.  IPEX contacts told EconOff in late August that 
Europe has been the market of choice for Mozambican exporters 
of shrimp but with the new standards that the European market 
is requesting and low prices for shrimp, the local industry 
is searching for new markets, particularly the United States. 
 
 
-------------------- 
TEDS AS PART OF TIFA 
-------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  TED certification is also a key item on the 
bilateral agenda of the Trade and Investment Framework 
Agreement (TIFA).  In the March 24 U.S.-Mozambique TIFA 
meetings in Washington, Minister of Industry and Commerce 
Antonio Fernando raised the TEDs certification issue with USG 
officials, and was also quoted in local news sources as 
saying that the GRM is working hard to export shrimp to the 
U.S. market.  Post is engaged with the fisheries authorities 
to support Mozambique certification in order to market shrimp 
in the United States under AGOA.  In a September 17 meeting 
with EconOff however, the National Director of International 
Relations for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce 
criticized the Ministry of Fisheries for poor implementation 
of TED regulations.  The official said that progress is being 
made but sees no possibility of concrete Ministry of 
Fisheries action until after the current election campaign 
and its aftermath, likely in early 2010.  She confirmed that 
TED certification is important to the GRM because Europe is 
also now requiring similar certifications. 
 
---------------------- 
COMMENT/ACTION REQUEST 
---------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The GRM has made improvements, albeit slowly, in 
implementing TEDs.  Post requests a status update from OES on 
when technical assistance can be offered again, given the 
recent requests from the GRM.  Post recommends an assistance 
visit be conducted in early 2010. 
CHAPMAN