©FAO/SWIOFC

05 September de 2023, Maputo – Aiming to ensure sustainable use of fishing resources and conservation of ecosystems in Maputo Bay, the proposal for a Management Plan for Maputo Bay for the period 2024-2028, was presented today, September 5, 2023, in Maputo by the National Fisheries Administration (ADNAP), the Institution responsible for fisheries management at the Ministry of Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries (MIMAIP). The consultative meeting for the development of the Management Plan involved key stakeholders, which include, among others, fishing operators, artisanal fishermen and members of fishing communities, relevant Civil Society Organizations working in Maputo Bay and development partners. The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Lucinda Isabel Mangue, Deputy General Director of ADNAP.

The Management Plan presented aims to ensure sustainable use of fishing resources and conservation of ecosystems in Maputo Bay; contribute to food security and improve the living conditions of local fishing communities; and ensure the implementation of fisheries and ecosystem management instruments, in order to address the main issues raised by the stakeholders during the consultation phase /collection of information for the preparation of the Management Plan.

In the discussions, the main aspects that deserved the most emphasis were in relation to the need to improve the coordination between the fisheries and the environment sectors with regard, to the adoption of management measures, i.e., Zoning of fishing activities and restriction levels in the Maputo National Park area and buffer zone; improvement of planning procedures and allocation of fishing licenses at central, provincial and district/municipality levels. Another key challenge raised was regarding surveillance of of artisanal fishery, mainly to ensure compliance with the closures for shrimp fishery and the process of ban / replacement of beach seines, which needs to implemented alongside with provision of alternative livelihoods.

This meeting constitutes one of the final phases of the consultation process, however, there is still room for submission of comments and inputs for improving the document, which can be done in writing. The following steps are to review the proposal and incorporate the contributions resulting from the consultation process and subsequent submission for consideration by MIMAIP and harmonization with other sectors. The final version of the document will be shared with key stakeholders before approval.

The process of preparation of the Maputo Bay Management Plan has the technical and financial support of FAO, through the Partnership Project between the Southwest Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) and the Nairobi Convention (NC): "a partnership for marine and coastal governance and fisheries management for sustainable blue growth". The SWIOFC and Nairobi Convention partnership project, in close coordination and collaboration with the fisheries and environmental sectors, is developing and implementing coordinated approaches for the sustainable management and use of fisheries and coastal ecosystems, protection of critical habitats, including restoration of mangroves and initiatives to adapt to climate change at demonstration sites in Mozambique. The expected impact of the project is to improve food security, increase resilience and reduce poverty in coastal communities dependent on fishing.

Overfishing, the use of harmful fishing methods and gear, the uncontrolled cutting of mangroves for firewood production, as well as the tendency to reduce fish catch levels from artisanal fishing, are some of the main challenges for the sustainable use and conservation of coastal and marine resources. In FAO's intervention strategy through the ongoing project, in addition to the design and implementation of management plans, interventions are planned to support the livelihoods of communities that depend on the use of natural resources as their livelihood.

Maputo Bay is also rich in biodiversity, having the highest concentration of seagrass in the country, mangrove forests and a diverse fauna, which include dugongs, sea turtles, sharks, among others. It constitutes one of Mozambique's important fishing grounds, with its main resources being shallow shrimp, rocky demersal fish, small pelagic fish, crabs, bivalves, among others. The region has around 3,604 artisanal fishers, of which 2,727 are permanent and 877 occasional, corresponding to 76% and 24% respectively, distributed across a total of 53 fishing centres located in the 5 districts of Maputo Province (2017 data being updated). In terms of fishing gear registration, Maputo Bay has around 1,139 units, dominated by gillnets, handlines and land trawls. Around 1,156 fishing vessels operate in the region, of which 814 are non-motorized (70%) and 342 are motorized (30%).