Mozambique’s fish production in the first nine months of this year stood at more than 211,000 tons, local radio reported on Monday.
The figure represents an 87 percent of the government’s goal in fish production this year, planned to reach 245,000 tons.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Fisheries, Tome Capesse, was quoted by the national broadcaster Radio Mozambique as saying that the export of 10,000 tons of the catch, brought to the country more than 59 million U.S. dollars this year.
Capesse’s statement comes a day after the Fisheries Ministry ended its coordinating council meeting on Sunday held at Bilene touristic resort, in the southern province of Gaza.
The Bilene gathering was held under the theme “Consolidating the State Action for the Sake of Economy.”
The central provinces of Zambezia, Tete, and the northern regions of Nampula and Cabo Delgado are the country’s main producers of fish.
The sector is also boosted by aquaculture introduced by the government ten years ago.
Among the marine resources Mozambique possesses include crabs, prawns, car fish, tilapia, and Kapanta, the latter produced in the northwestern province of Tete.
Mozambique’s medium-term goal is to produce 300,000 tons of the catch per year to revive its economy, once shuttered by former rebel movement Renamo, during the ended civil war.
The former Portuguese colony exports fish to the European markets, Asia and the United States.
Source: Coastweek