Borges said that fisheries production has risen from an annual figure of 120,000 tonnes four years ago to the current figure of around 200,000 tonnes a year.
Speaking during a visit by the King of Swaziland, Mswati III, to the port of Maputo, Borges said the fisheries sector intends to increase production still further, both through catches of wild fish, and through fish farming.
He admitted that so far fish farming in Mozambique has been “weak”, but promised “we are embarking on a mass aquaculture programme. We have radio and television programmes encouraging the Mozambican population to raise fish, and we hope to have an annual aquaculture production in excess of 200,000 tonnes in the coming period”.
Borges claimed successes in the fight against illegal fishing. “We are increasingly prepared to fight against illegal fishing”, he said. “A short while ago, we inaugurated a large boat for inspection, and we have other platforms, such as inspection via satellite, which are fully functional”.
“Illegal fishing exists all over the world”, he added. “We need to improve our capacity, add to our capacity so that we can minimize illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing”.
Post published in: Africa News