Lifting Mauritius’ artisanal fishermen out of poverty

The RodMoFad mobile application, funded by the European Union, aims to boost the economic independence of the artisanal fishing community.

On May 16, Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, and Shipping, Sudheer Maudhoo, launched a new mobile application under the ECOFISH program. During the event, Maudhoo presented certificates to training course participants. The UNDP Resident Representative for Mauritius and the Seychelles, Amanda Serumaga, and other dignitaries attended the ceremony.

Sudheer Maudhoo explained that the EU-funded project aims to lift Mauritius’ artisanal fishermen out of poverty by improving their living conditions. The application, available on Android phones, uses cutting-edge technology to help fishermen identify and explore new fishing grounds, enabling them to fish outside the lagoon and around Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs).

The Minister noted that smart FADs with satellite buoys have been installed around Mauritius and will soon be deployed around Rodrigues. A server at a station transmits data from these buoys, providing the necessary GPS location information.