Mozambique is netting the results of its local catch, but development opportunities in the value chain of the country’s fisheries industry remain largely untapped.
This could all change though if shipowners and related heavy hitters get involved in downstream beneficiation, claims Lidia Cardoso, minister of sea, inland waters and fisheries.
Although the honourable member of President Filipe Nyusi’s government was sacked as deputy health minister in a cabinet reshuffle in March, she has resurfaced in a portfolio that seems to suit her better.
Citing solid figures from the ocean economy, Cardoso said earlier this week that the artisanal fisheries sector – or local fishermen in less highfalutin terms – is responsible for 92% of the annual catch.
So robust is the hand-catch segment of the sector, 447 000 tonnes of diverse seafood was recorded last year, a mere 33 000 below that target of 480 0000.
Looked at another way, last year’s yield meant 93% of the planned catch materialised, representing a 3% increase from 2020.
Year-on-year growth for the same period was much steeper in respect of crustaceans and shellfish sold on the international market, namely 15% after more than 10 000 tonnes were sold in 2021.
Although these figures are reassuring, indicating that Mozambique’s fisheries business is coming on swimmingly, the industry is still underperforming, Cardoso says.
This is especially apparent considering that the crustacean and shellfish yield represents an 87% realisation of the sub-sector’s target, and that the industry overall let 33 000 of the annual catch’s projected figure off the hook.
However, if taken into account that the industry is 92% driven by artisanal operators, rural folk casting their nets as wide as they can, it stands to reason that the industry’s big concerns have a much bigger role to play.
“We encourage shipowners to expand and diversify their activities, not just in catching fish, but also to seek partnerships for the development of the seafood value chain, thus increasing their production and revenue,” Cardoso said at the 8th Coordinating Council of Mimaip (Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries) meeting in Maputo.