Citing Mozambican Fisheries Minister Victor Borges, the newspaper states that the country has the potential to produce 2 million tonnes of various kinds of fish using aquaculture processes, though current production is no more than a thousand tonnes, or 0.05% of that volume.
Borges acknowledged that national fishing production “is below its potential” in Mozambique, since the country only produces 150,000 tonnes per year, about 45% of what it is possible to produce.
The fishery sector currently accounts for 2% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and 4% of its overall exports.
Fisheries Master Plan
The government recently approved the Fisheries Master Plan for 2010-2019, whose immediate aim is to enhance the sector’s contribution towards improving the population’s food and nutritional security.
The plan also aims to improve the quality of life of artisanal fishermen and small-scale fish farmers, besides increasing the sector’s contribution to the country’s economic and social development and a better balance of payments.