By Gianluigi Negroni MOZAMBICAN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

Transcription

1 By Gianluigi Negroni MOZAMBICAN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAP) manages the fishery sector through the National Directorate of Fisheries. Main management instruments are annually issued fishing licenses and quotas. Licenses and quotas are varying according to the type of fishing sector. There are three main fishing sectors: industrial (47% of the registered catch), semi-industrial (20%) and artisanal/subsistence (33%). In addition, a closed season of three month is established for prawn fishing. In order to protect the marine environment ships have to harvest behind the 24 nautical mile limit. Figure: Deep-sea fishing areas, in red. Source WWF 2011 Blueprint for moving toward sustainbale tropical shrimp trawl fishery. It is outside the 200 m isobare and take care of other species than shallow water prawn. Mozambique's fishing industry can be divided into artisanal, semi-industrial and industrial. Artisanal fishing provides livelihoods for many coastal families and supplies food for a large proportion of the population. Artisanal fishers use handlines, beach seines, canue trawl and gillnets. The semi-industrial sub-sector consists mostly of Mozambique companies with up to four vessels, usually foreign charters. Vessels target mainly shrimp.

2 Source: Mapsoftworld.com In the figure you can see the most developed crustacean processing plan that are located in Beira, that is close to the Sofala Bank and the aquauclture prawn facilities. Accordingly, three main fleets exploit the shrimp resources, namely, artisanal, semi-industrial and industrial. The semi-industrial and industrial fleets are the most important in terms of volume of catches that count for around 83% of the total shrimp catch per year. In this fishery the resource rent is not maximized and some operators face difficulties in making profits due to the high effort. In the past, some operators already suspended operations reducing the number of shallow water prawn trawling vessels. Industrial fishing Industrial fishing is mainly operated through joint ventures between the government and foreign companies from Japan and Spain. The main commercial species are lobster, crabs, gamba (deep-water prawn), shallow water prawn, crayfish and squid. Lobster, shallow water prawn and gamba are the main exports with key markets in other African states, Hong Kong, Japan, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the UK. This sector has the majority of the Total Allowable Catches (TAC) of more than 70 %. The prawn industry, based in Beira and Quelimane, with some processor in Maputo, is mainly export-oriented and represents an important source of foreign exchange income for the country. 70% of the production is coming from two major commercial companies, PESCAMAR and EFRIPEL now jointed together. The catch is frozen directly on board before being exported to Japan and the European Union. Well-equipped foreign shrimp fleets are still very active in Mozambique s waters. About 187 industrial vessels including 72 foreign vessels for tuna fisheries are operating in the industrial fisheries. The main commercial species targeted by the industrial sector include lobster, deep water crabs, gamba (deep water prawn), fish, shallow water prawn and squid Semi-industrial The semi-industrial fleet consists of about 213 vessels of which 116 are targeting the small pelagic (kapenta) fisheries. The main commercial species targeted by the semi/industrial sector include fish, shallow water prawn and squid. Artisanal fishing

3 The small-scale and artisanal fisheries in Mozambique play a significant role in the national economy. The sector provides employment, income and a source of animal protein to the majority of coastal communities. The artisanal fisheries consist of individuals or small groups of fishermen with limited economic power. They make use of non-motored fishing boats of 3-8 m in length (wind or hand propelled). They use beach seine, gillnet and long line to catch fish. The sector also consists of fish collectors and divers. Various reports estimate the number of fishing boats and canoes at approximately 15,000, of which 3% are equipped with engines, using beach seine and gillnet fishing gears. The marine artisanal fisheries involve about 61,000 fishers of a total of some 90,000 persons employed in the fishing sector. In addition, the artisanal sector supports approximately 50,000 families. (Programa de Asistiencia a Sector de Pesca de Mozambique, Yangula 2009). The small-scale and artisanal fisheries account for about 80% of the total marine catches. Both marine and freshwater fisheries are organized into fishing centers of which the majority scattered along the coast with the artisanal fishermen and annexed activities involved in the artisanal fishery (Yangula 2009). While the industrial and semi-industrial sectors land their catches at the demarcated ports, the artisanal fishers land their catches at beach landing sites. In general, the marine artisanal activities take place along the entire coastline, but have special relevance in the provinces of Nampula, Zambezia, Safala, Inhambane and Maputo. In addition, there is a consistent small-scale inland production at Lake Malawi and in Lake Cahora Bassa small pelagic and demersal fish for domestic markets and regional African markets. The capture fishery sector The industrial fishing fleet is dominated by three companies, which hold substantial parts of the national shrimp quota: 1. Pescamar (owned 70 % by Pescanova and 30% EmoPesca) with 4,400 t quota; 2. Krustamoz (100 % Spanish) with 1,000 t of quota; and 3. Sociedad Industria de Pesca (SIP) (60-70 % Portuguese, rest Mozambican) with 1,100 t of quota. Pescamar has also over the last couple of years taken over five of the larger industrial fleets, Efripel (Japanese backed), Carrelomar, Copoic, Pescabom and Berianave. As the total allocated quota is currently 8,000 Ton, the remainder of the industrial companies shares 1,500 t. All of the smaller industrial companies are Mozambican. The private sector has four membership associations: ANAP, National Fisheries Association with members of the Industrial and Semi-Industrial Sector,with Mozambican owners. ASSAPEMO, Fisheries Association this was originally for the artesian fisheries but now hasmembers from all sectors. ARMAPESCA, Semi-Industrial Fisheries Association, most member companies have 1-3 boats with ice for daily trips. They fish for shrimps and line fish. AMAPIC, Industrial Shrimp Fisheries Association, established in 1996, this Association is nowbasically made up of Pescanova companies; only one member is independent of Pescanova,namely Bonar-Sociedad Pesquiera. MOZAMBICAN PRAWN FISHERY This section presents in detail the prawn fishery that provides the most value to the Mozambican fishery sector and must be well introduced to understand the prawn situation. Shallow-water prawn specie composition This is the main catch composition of shallow water prawns cited in thecaderno de especificações, these species are considered for GI for Mozambican Prawn, the banana shrimp (in the group of white shrimp) are the most abundant, it is estimated as 60% of the catch. Red-legged banana prawn (Fenneropenaeusindicus) included in the white shrimpclassification

4 Speckled shrimp (Metapenaeusmonoceros) Lesser quantities of M. japonicus, Melicertuslatisulcatus, Penaeus monodon, and P. semisulcatus Deepwater prawn specie catch composition Haliporoidestriarthrus Amounts of Aristaemorphafoliacae, Aristeusantennatus, Plesiopenaeusedwardsianus, Penaeopsisbalssi Accompanying fauna Shallow waters Otolithes rubber (sciaenid) and several juvenile forms of different species are collected and generally discarded after the shrimp catch. Figure: Shrimp cycle example in coastal lagoon water The sketch try to represent the shrimp cycle, the green areas represent the prawn nursery that is located in the large mangrove areas present along the Mozambican Coastline, the blue areas are the send bar and black areas are the deeper and coastal waters. The shallow water Mozambican juvenile prawn likes the mangrove and lagoon areas where they find shelter and food. The three chosen areas for the GI certification are rich in mangrove and lagoon environment. Artisanal fishery very often target fish and prawn in the coastal area including the mangrove one. Shallow water crustacean trawl The industrial shallow water prawn trawling fleet is managed through a combination of measures, i.e.: limiting the number of vessels, catch quota and seasonal closures. Specific regulations are as follows: closed season of five and a half months; control of mesh size of the nets (55 mm); annual quotas for each vessel; limitation of number of vessels; closed fishery (no more entries); no industrial trawlers are allowed to trawl in water less than 10 m deep and less than one nautical mile from the coast. Although the use of TEDs has been compulsory since 2003, the implementation levels are

5 unknown but surely very low. Other bycatch reduction devices have been trialed, but not implemented. (Source: WWF 2011 Blueprint for moving toward sustainbale tropical shrimp trawl fishery). Accompaning fauna Figure: Shrimp otter trawl Prawn trawl fisheries are well known for their high levels of bycatch, and account for 27.3 % of global fishery discards. Prawn trawling occurring in some shallow coastal areas, which serve as nursery grounds for commercially important fish species, can destroy the structural diversity which is critical for many marine species. There are additionally many vulnerable species, such as turtles and other finfish, that are caught as bycatch in this fishery, but are discarded, dead and wasted. From 2003 TED are mandatory (but not inforced) in Mozambique, duirng trawling turtle are also occasionally captured. Industrial shallow water trawl fishery are permitted at more than 10 metre deep. Several studies higlighted the variations in the catch of shallow water shrimp at the Sofala Bank, central Mozambique, (they are considered using abundance indices of Penaeus indicus by length groups). Monthly, seasonal and year to year fluctuations are presented and related to Zambezi River and other rivers runoff and rainfall. Correlation analyses show that catch rate is positively related to river runoff and negatively related to effort, but no significant correlations with rainfall were found. Annual prawn abundance may be predicted based on wet season river runoff. During years with a well defined dry season and a late onset of the wet season, there seems to be a shift in the size distribution towards larger prawn. The Cahora Bassa Dam regulation may be used to enhance prawn production, by providing well-planned water releases. (Tor Gammelsrød 1992). In fact construction of the Cahora-Bassa Dam upriver had little effect on the average runoff from the Zambezi but completely altered the seasonal variations in the runoff pattern, with severe negative consequences on the off-shore fishery and prawn reproduction. Other studies suggest that Penaeus japonicus prefers sandy substrata, while P. semisulcatus chooses areas rich in submerged macrophytes. P. indicus and P. monodon both appear to favour muddy mangrove channels, although P. monodon may require marginal or floating vegetation as nurseries. Metapenaeus stebbingi seems to prefer the swash zone in quiet areas with minimal wave action, while M. monoceros is more widespread and is able to cope with very low salinities. Managers of coastal systems should, therefore, attempt to maintain a diversity of biotopes within larger systems because, even if postlarvae do enter an estuary, juvenile populations with not develop if their specific habitat has been destroyed. Several mangrove areas are under threth in Mozambique especially in the three important areas of Maputo Bay, Limpopo delta and Sofala bank where are fished important resources of surface prawns. (A.J. de Freitas, 1986) Fishery prawns management methods

6 There is restricted entry licensing for shallow waters, but no cap on deep water license. There are no license limits or catch limits for the artisanal sector (shallow-water), although once the current levels of effort (gear and fishers) are established by census it is intended to cap them at this level. Both the semiindustrial and industrial shallow-water sectors have a cap on the number of license. The semi-industrial ice vessels (shallow-water) do not have catch limits (quotas). The industrial fleet (including semi-industrial freezer vessels) has an annual TAC for shallow-water prawns (all species combined), which is determined based on input from the Instituto de Investigação Pesqueira (Fishery Research Institute; IIP). The TAC is allocated to companies as quotas by the ministry at an open consultative forum (the Fisheries Administration Commission; FAC) before the season starts. The FAC is a body comprising representatives from the ministry and industry. It is not clear exactly how the quotas are allocated to each company (number of vessels is a factor), but DNAP maintains that it is an open process. DNAP would like to move towards allocating quotas per vessel. Monitor Surveillance Control (MSC) Little bit of history, in late 1960s the industrial shrimp fishery began to develop in Mozambique, in 1976 Mozambique began to control access and effort, particularly for the shallow water prawn fishery. Industrial vessels are not allowed to trawl within 3 nm of the coast, and semi-industrials have to operate beyond 1 nm of the coastline. Industrial vessels are required to use VMS (Vessel Monitoring System); trawlers have to submit summarized catch statistics every 10 days to DNAP, and must submit logbooks annually. While the inspectorate is under-resourced in terms of manpower and other logistic support, it is generally acknowledged by both industry and those involved in compliance that adherence to regulations has improved in the last years, since the advent of the Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) campaign with its associated use of a patrol vessel and at-sea inspections. Scientific observers are placed onboard trawlers, although this activity appears to be limited; trawl logbooks are submitted to the ministry and scientists, and trawler catch reports are submitted every 10 days; trawl landings are monitored by inspectors. Artisanal vessels are not controlled, and there is a growing problem in the use of mosquito nets. Governance Some important structures have been created in terms of the Act, including the Committee for Co- Management of Fisheries which is the main forum for participatory management. Access to marine resources is controlled by DNAP, which issues licenses and quotas. DNAP convenes the FAC, which comprises all stakeholders including representatives from management, compliance, research, product quality, small-scale fisheries, and industry. The Commission meets quarterly to discuss management of the prawn fishery, and makes recommendations regarding the setting of TACs and quotas. Harvest control rules is implemented with Total Allowable Catch (TACs) that provide a quota for every vessels and closed seasons where it is not possible to fish. Management authority isthe Ministry of Fisheries comprises several divisions (but explicitly the National Directorate of Fisheries Administration; ADNP). The ADNAP has a board of fishing observers or inspectors in charge to control the fishing activities on shore that is at the landing places and offshore in the fishing vessels for 30 days period. The Sofala Bank extends from Angoche (16 S) until Mambone (21 S) in the strip of 40 Km from the coast with a total area of Km2. There are risk of infringement regarding the catching of more than the quota allocated, use of illegal mesh size, fishing during the closed season and fishing within the 3 nautical miles from the coast. The use of logbooks that is obligatory in all vessels, the inspections on board TEDs required by law but not implemented. It is obligatory a 2:1, by catch: prawn ratio but it is some doubt that it is respected at sea operation. Prawn Fleet composition and catch

7 Mozambiquehas 43 industrial, 49 semi-industrial, and 15,250 (registered but could be more) artisanal vessels fishing in shallow waters, and sevenindustrial prawn vessels fishing in deep waters. Trawlers use 1 4 nets. Artisanal catches estimation range from t (1 10 per cent ofthe total shrimp catch weight), semi-industrial catches are 400 t, and industrial catches are around 6,500 t. Industrial vessels are not allowed to trawl within 3 nm from shore, and semi-industrial vessels must operate beyond 1 nm from shore. (Source WWF 2011 Blueprint for moving toward sustainbale tropical shrimp trawl fishery). Figure: SWOT ANALYSIS FOR THE MOZAMBICAN PRAWN FISHERIES SECTOR POSSIBILITIES TO INCREASE PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT OF EXPORT CAPACITIES STRENGTHS Strong management system in place High landing volume Healthy state of deep -water resources High value fish species( prawn and shrimps) Potential market access in the European and USA markets WEAKNESSES Poor landing condition and landing structures High post harvesting loss Unhygienic process methods Poor landing condition and cold storage at landing sites Lack of knowledge on proper handling procedure by fisherman Limited knowledge of good processing practice Overfished shallow water prawns Poor transport and road networks in the country Poor quality control measure that have adverse effect to market access Low quality fish products in the local and regional markets ack of innovation to develop value added products ack of marketing knowhow by nationals to access global markets. OPPORTUNITIES High demand for fish products in the global markets, particularly for prawns Preferential market access granted by EU and USA THREATS Source: modification High fishing technologies available in the world educed international trade barriers and non-trade barriers to global markets Market access to the regional markets Difficult shrimp industry self-control, environmental problem, increase of artisanal fishermen population, use of destructive practices, IUU Prawn overfishing Due to the intensive exploitation of the resource, management measures are being put in place to secure present and future sustainability of the resource. Bio/economic models have been used to help on the management of the fishery. Some studies were done and the Beverton-Holt model which focuses its analysis on the year class-cohort has been used to assess the resource and find management reference points to improve the management regime.

8 The result of several studies concluded that reducing the current effort by half and opening the fishery in May to close in December the catches will be optimized and the profits can increase significantly. As the seasonal biological development of the crustacean is variable yearly investigations must be taken for prawn biological parameters such as growth, environmental effects and stock biomass-recruitment relationship. (AméricoDramane Smile, bioeconomic assessment of the Mozambican shallow water shrimp fishery, 2005) Other methods of prawn fishing Different trawling technologies are the most used methods for industrial, semi/ industrial and artisanal prawn fishing all over the world, prawn are also captured by different type of nets and trammel as minor catch. Mozambique prawn sector is in line with this world trend. In some world areas especially in the shallow waters, the artisanal fishery sector use different type of traps, fixed and mobile of different sizes and complexity according with the fishing areas deepness. Actually, in Mozambique there is no one large use traps for prawn but could be an interesting investigation areas.