Mozambique: Gaza authorities destroy harmful fishing gear

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Mozambique: Gaza authorities destroy harmful fishing gear

10:44 CAT | 11 Nov 2020

File photo: Rádio Moçambique

The Mozambican Ministry of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries has seized 112 items of harmful fishing gear from artisanal fishermen on Bilene beach, in the southern province of Gaza, according to a report in Monday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”.

The harmful fishing gear, consisting of 70 mosquito nets and 42 trawl nets, was confiscated and incinerated as part of the inspection drive monitoring the closed season for mangrove crab and surface water prawn fishing

Government spokespersons say that the move is aimed at ensuring sound and sustainable reproduction of fishery resources.

Laicivo Machaieie, provincial coordinator of fisheries inspection at the Gaza Provincial Economic Activities Service, told reporters that the fishermen who resorted to harmful fishing gear and without a license had been fined.

The move is intended to discourage the use of unsuitable nets for fishing. The nets have a small mesh and thus catch fish and crustaceans indiscriminately, regardless of their size. Juveniles and even larvae are caught as well as adults. The use of mosquito nets is also an assault on the health of local people, since, when correctly used, they are intended to protect people against malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

Machaieie said that the main purpose of the current campaign is not to collect fines, but to protect the fisheries. “The State has no intention of penalising or punishing the fishermen, but to raise awareness about the need to end harmful practices,” he stressed.

Despite giving their verbal support for the closed season, fishermen have also claimed that it complicates their livelihood as they depend exclusively on fishing. They also suggest that the Ministry should tolerate crab and prawn fishing throughout the forthcoming festive season, in which there is a high demand of both sea products.

Machaieie said such a decision is up to the ministry, but it is quite unlikely, since the move is part of a national drive and Bilene beach would not deserve special treatment.

“The fishermen should bear in mind that they will harvest the benefits”, he pointed out. “But in the event of a possible extinction of the species, the fishermen would have nothing left to fish.”

Source: AIM