Mozambique: Fishing production climbs more than 10% in H1, driven by aquaculture

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Mozambique: Fishing production climbs more than 10% in H1, driven by aquaculture

10:01 CAT | 26 Aug 2024

FILE - For illustration purposes only. Industrial aquaculture grew the most from January to June, almost doubling its volume (80.3%) compared to the same period in 2023, to 5,132 tonnes, 52.5% of the target for 2024. [File photo: DW]

According to budget execution data that Lusa had access to on Friday, fishing production in Mozambique grew by 10.3% in the first half of the year to 240,398 tonnes, driven by aquaculture.

According to the Mozambique’s government data, this is 46% of the total target of 522,671 tonnes, between fishing and aquaculture, set for the whole of 2024 in Mozambique’s fishing production.

Industrial aquaculture grew the most from January to June, almost doubling its volume (80.3%) compared to the same period in 2023, to 5,132 tonnes, 52.5% of the target for 2024.

This growth was influenced by including live crab and live lobster, caught in maritime waters and kept in production establishments “for fattening and subsequent export”, and a seaweed production initiative in Nampula province.

Artisanal fishing leads

In terms of volume, artisanal fishing continued to lead, with 225,285 tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 9.2%, with the central province of Zambézia standing out (25% of the total), followed by industrial and semi-industrial fishing, with 9,981 tonnes, a growth of 13% compared to 2023.

Fishing production in Mozambique reached 496,373 tonnes in 2023, a growth of 9% in one year and above the targets set, according to a budget execution report from January to December previously reported by Lusa.

Artisanal fishing led the way, with 466,491 tonnes in 2023, an increase of 7.8%, followed by commercial fishing (industrial and semi-industrial), with 20,230 tonnes and an increase of 16.4%, while aquaculture production grew by 73.1% to 9,553 tonnes.

In commercial fishing, shrimp led last year’s production, with 3,041 tonnes, an increase of 18.7% taking into account the catches of 2022.

Aquaculture in Mozambique, on the other hand, is carried out on an industrial level and a small scale, producing, in addition to various types of fish, shrimp, crab and lobster, especially in the provinces of Tete, Gaza and Maputo.

Despite this performance, production was affected in 2023 by “excessive rains that caused flooding” in Maputo, as well as the passage of Cyclone Freddy twice, first in the south, particularly in the province of Inhambane, and then in the centre and north of the country, with a greater impact on the province of Zambézia.

Source: Lusa