The revitalization of Fisheries Community Councils in Mozambique
In Mozambique, the FAO Smart Fisheries Co-management (SFC) project, in collaboration with the National Fisheries Administration (ADNAP) in Maputo and the District Services for Economic Activities (SDAE) in Vilankulo, is supporting the revitalization and restructuring of Fisheries Community Councils (CCPs) in three selected fishing communities in Vilankulo (for more information on CCPs please refer to this factsheet). This effort is part of the broader goal of strengthening the co-management systems at both local and national levels.
A journey started in 2022
The project was introduced to the District Government and local fishing communities in November 2022 through an inception workshop, followed by training workshops at national and site levels, aimed at improving co-management processes and incorporating the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) for sustainable practices.
In November 2023, the SFC project was presented to the Inhambane province government during the Provincial Coordination Council’s Second Ordinary Session. The project had released a set of knowledge tools related to fisheries co-management. It was therefore agreed to focus on the component of livelihoods in benefit of the three fishing communities selected. In May 2024, a questionnaire was used to identify livelihood options for the fishing communities of Macunhe, Mabandene and Guitine.
The election of new CCPs members and board directors
Phase I of the CCPs revitalization took place in July 2024 with the introduction to the fishing communities of the new Statute of CCP published by the Government (Ministerial Order 131/2022 in Bulletin of the Republic of 22 December 2022), and the preparation for the General Assembly of each CCP to elect the new directive members, which took place from 19-22 August 2024.
With remarkable participation and interaction from community members, a total of 690 fishers voted for their new leadership in the fishing communities of Macunhe, Guitine, and Mabandene. Women accounted for 34% of the voters across the three communities. Guitine had the highest female participation at 51.9%, followed by Macunhe at 40.7%, and Mabandene at 13.7%. In Macunhe, a woman was elected president of the General Assembly, receiving 41.5% of the votes from three candidates.
Next steps
The next priority is to ensure the functionality of the newly elected bodies. ADNAP will organize a training workshop for the elected members to help them fully understand their responsibilities and roles, in alignment with the new CCP Statute.