National Fisheries Policy 2012-2017.

The National Fisheries Policy is a national sectoral policy addressing critical issues affecting the fisheries and aquaculture development in Malawi. The goal of the Policy is to promote sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development in order to contribute to economic growth in Malawi. The policy has seven priority areas including capture fisheries, aquaculture development, fish quality control and value addition, governance, social development and decent employment, research and information and capacity development.
The following objectives are to be attained: (i) to increase fish production from capture fisheries and aquaculture; (ii) to increase participatory fisheries management plans; (iii) to reduce fish post harvest losses; (iv) to increase annual fish exports; (v) to increase fish consumption; (vi) to increase decent employment in fishing communities for youth, women and men and to reduce the number of child labourers, engaged in hazardous work; (vii) to increase business and entrepreneurial capacities and skills of small-scale producers.
In order to make fisheries more productive and sustainable, the policy will ensure that: (i) the Government and its various stakeholders put in place proper monitoring and control of exploitation of the fisheries resources; (ii) sustainable control measures for the recovery of the over-exploited stocks and areas are developed, adopted and implemented; (iii) the Government and private sector invest in fishing related activities through public-private partnerships.
Regarding the reduction of rural poverty, the policy plans to address issues on social development and decent employment. The Government will ensure that: (i) fostering a strategic enabling environment for small-scale fishing communities in a gender-equitable manner through enhanced decent employment and increased social development and protection with focus on disadvantaged, resource-poor, remote small-scale fisheries communities and population groups, such as youth and women; (ii) determining the extent of child labour in the fisheries sector and mainstreaming of the issue; (iii) promoting decent employment in small-scale fisheries and aquaculture, including through improvements of working conditions, fair remuneration, occupational health and safety, and prevention and elimination of child labour, particularly its most hazardous forms; and (iv) increasing access of small-scale fishing communities to services essential to social and economic development, including education, health and social protection. In addition, the policy plans to ensure effective delivery of services to various stakeholders within the fishing industry.
To enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, the Government plans to improve fish supply and value addition to the fish and fish product by implementing the following activities: (i) put in place enabling legislative framework for quality fish for the local and export markets; (ii) establish a competent authority to handle fish quality issues; (iii) promote adoption of best practices that will enhance quality, hygiene and sanitation and value addition for fish and fish products; and (iv) develop and enforce fish quality standards.
In the context of governance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security shall work in close collaboration with the other stakeholders in conserving and managing fisheries resources. The Policy also promotes co-ordination and collaboration with other sectors in dealing with multi-sectoral issues, which have an impact on the environment and fishery resources.