Africa-Press – Mozambique. According to the Mozambican Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries, the country’s fishery operators have exported nearly 4,000 tonnes of fishery produce in the first six months of this year, amounting to 34 per cent of the sector’s annual plan and an 11 per cent growth when compared with the same period in 2020.
The achievement was announced on Monday by the Minister, Augusta Maita, who addressed a meeting to assess the outcome of the fishing campaign over the first six months, discuss the challenges facing the sector and identify the best ways to ensure sustainable lawful fishing.
“We want a quantitative and qualitative leap in our exports but success depends on reaching new markets and complying with demands and certifications imposed so as to place the country on the route to global trade,” Maita said.
Over the first half of 2021, the country’s fisheries achieved a global production of about 230,000 tonnes, amounting to 48 per cent of the planned annual output and a four per cent growth, compared with the same period in 2020.
She pointed out that the country’s fisheries sector imposes, every year, a closed season for the fishing of surface prawn and mangrove crab, in a bid to ensure its sustainability and so that they can continue to form part of the diet of future generations.
“We would like to renew our calls for the fishermen to fully comply with the established periods of closed season,” she said, adding that despite the progress attained so far, reports about the constant killing of protected species in both marine and inland waters pose a great concern to the fishing authorities.
