The capture of mangrove crab and surface shrimp will be banned from November 1 in the country. The crab can only be caught again in January 2023 and the shrimp in mid-March.
The Ministry of Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries has announced the new closed season schedule for the mangrove crab and surface shrimp fishery. However, the ban does not cover Cabo Delgado, because the province does not have a deficit of these species.
Although it covers the coastal areas, the biggest focus of the ban is the areas of the Limpopo river mouth, Inhambane, Sofala and the Maputo Bay.
“What is planned is that we will have a closed season for industrial and semi-industrial fishing, which will run from November 1 to December 31. From January 1 to March 14 we will have the closure of the industrial and semi-industrial surface shrimp fishery”, informed the national fisheries director, Cassamo Júnior.
He also added that “as of November 1st we will start inspecting these processing establishments. This means that they will be prohibited from acquiring, transporting, handling and processing mangrove crab and surface shrimp.
The ban on fishing for mangrove crab and surface shrimp is intended to protect the species and ensure their replacement for the following year’s fishing season.
