Mozambican authorities strengthen fisheries legislation – AIM report

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Mozambican authorities strengthen fisheries legislation – AIM report

9:09 CAT | 27 Feb 2021

File photo: Noticias

The Mozambican Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries intends to improve the country’s legislation on fisheries, so as to strengthen moves against the use of environmentally damaging fishing gear.

Speaking on Thursday at a Maputo press conference, the ministry’s director of operations, Leonid Chimarizene, said “We want to have strengthened legislation by the next closed season, as the one in force focuses on the seized product. We want it to attach great importance to the means used by the fishermen such as bicycles, motorbikes and vehicles”.

The Ministry, he said, believes that when the legislation is improved, the number of violations recorded throughout the closed season will definitely dwindle and consequently contribute towards a reduction in over-fishing.

Over the next few days, the ministry will also step up the inspections throughout the country’s coastline as the closed season for prawn fishing ends on 31 March. “We have the prawns sufficiently grown and it is obvious that some fisherman might rush to start the activity before official opening”, said Chimarizene.

During the closed season, inspectors imposed 144 fines amounting in total to 2.8 million meticais (37,300 US dollars, at the current exchange rate). Nearly half of the amount has already been paid.

In the central province of Sofala, three individuals face legal proceedings, accused of using harmful fishing gear, including mosquito nets.

The closed season for surface water prawns, first imposed 20 years ago, runs from 1 November to 31 March. A shorter closed season is in force for mangrove crabs. Chimarizene stressed that the closed season is an important means of preserving species.

Source: AIM