More than 86,000 tonnes of fish were caught in the first ten months of this year in Zambézia, of which 90% (77,400 tonnes) are the result of artisanal fishing, mostly practised by women, not only on the coast but also in inland waters.
These figures were shared on Tuesday 21 November in Quelimane by the governor of Zambézia, Pio Matos, at the World Fisheries Day ceremony, celebrated this year under the theme “Fisheries and Aquaculture Vectors of Development”.
According to Pio Matos, the event is a unique opportunity to reflect deeply on the need to protect the marine, lake and river ecosystems where species reproduce.
For the government official, as long as communities continue to invest in cutting down mangroves and destroying estuaries where fish lay their eggs, the family economy and food and nutritional security will be irreparably threatened.
“Over the last 20 years, there has been a very rapid degradation of ecosystems, which has been reflected in the reduction in the quantities of fish caught per campaign,” said the source, explaining that climate change, human action and other factors that have plagued the province’s coastline of more than 400 kilometres are having a negative impact on catch levels, hence the need to raise popular awareness and prepare for extreme weather events.
In this regard, Pio Matos asked artisanal fishermen and others to strictly observe the closed season for shrimp and crab fishing, which runs from November 2023 to April next year.
