Abstract:
Manual beach seining is a widespread and popular fishing gear in Mozambique, targeting small pelagics and demersals and supplying exclusively national markets. The fishery provides employment for half of all marine artisanal fishermen in the country, and lands a significant proportion of total catch from the artisanal sector. The fishery shares the Sofala Bank fishing grounds with the industrial shallow water trawl fishery targeting penaeid shrimps, and management measures to protect shrimp stocks from the capture of juveniles in the beach seine fishery have been notably unsuccessful. The paper presents the results of primary research in beach seine fishing communities, quantifying their dependence on the fishing method. Analysis is made of issues surrounding compliance in the fishery with closed seasons, including estimates of the costs and benefits both for the dependent communities and industrial shrimp fishery. The paper concludes that the closed season results in an unfavourable redistribution of rent in favour of the industrial fishery, but with significant economic losses. Policy guidelines are proposed for the development of management mechanisms in the fishery, based on consultative principles.
