On 8 January, Angola's Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MINPERMAR) and EM&EA signed a partnership agreement in Luanda with the aim of establishing the basic framework for the design, licensing and operation of an integrated marine aquaculture project.

EM&EA and Chinese investors with strong financial capacity and experience in coastal aquaculture intend to invest US$170 million over a period of five years to promote the mariculture subsector in Angola.

According to a note from MINPERMAR, the investment will consist of the construction and operation of a Fry Reproduction Centre (Larviculture Centre) for marine species, the installation and assembly of 50 large net tanks for the breeding of marine fish species with a total annual production capacity of approximately 300,000 tonnes.

The project also includes the development of three-dimensional aquaculture of molluscs and seaweed, with the implementation of a modern system for breeding shellfish and seaweed, including species such as Chilean mussels, California mussels, oysters, abalones, sea cucumbers, seaweed and experimental and scientific breeding of marine shrimp.

(Source: Jornal de Angola, on 8 January)