Four thousand tons is the total of fish production that the country placed in the external market, in the first semester of this year, a performance estimated in 34%, relative to the plan outlined for 2021.
The information was presented in the municipality of Matola by the Minister of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries, Augusta Maíta, at a meeting with fishing operators to assess the activities carried out in the first half of the year and prospects for 2022.
Maíta noted that despite the challenges the sector faced, caused by the natural disasters and the Covid-19 pandemic, export growth for the first semester was 11 percent, compared to the same period of 2020.
Augusta Maíta referred in the meeting that with these encouraging data the challenge is launched for a quantitative and qualitative leap in the levels of exports, which passes through the reach of new markets and also through the fulfilment of the requirements and certifications imposed in them, as a way to place the country in what she considered the great route of world trade.
To the operators of the industrial, semi-industrial and artisanal sector, the minister gave information on the great opportunities that can be found in the North American market and beyond.
The positive performance in the fisheries sector was not only due to exports, taking into account that overall production registered was around 230,000 tonnes. These results correspond to a performance of 48% in relation to the annual target and a growth of about 4% compared to the first half of 2020.
One of the aspects that caught the governor’s attention was the establishment of closed seasons and closures in surface shrimp and mangrove crab fisheries, a fact that divides opinions among the main stakeholders, especially those of the artisanal fishing subsector.
Rossana Ibrahimo, representative of artisanal fishermen of the Costa do Sol, in Maputo city, acknowledged the importance of establishing a closed season, but the point of disagreement lies in the period that, according to her, citing last year’s experience, proved to be too long.
The minister said that the sole purpose of the ban was to guarantee the sustainability of the species, in order to allow future generations to also enjoy the nutritional protein of the fish.
She renewed the appeal to operators to ensure that their seamen and employees fully comply with the fishing ban periods and other measures that are established.
“To artisanal fishermen in particular, we would like to remind you that during the closed and closed season, fishing activity, provided it is duly authorised, can be observed using fishing gear and fisheries not covered by the measures. We therefore appeal to them to pay more attention to the announcements that will be disseminated by the fisheries administration”, she said.
