Small-Scale Fisheries in a Modernising Economy: Opportunities and Challenges in Mozambique

The report examines the socio-economic importance of small-scale fisheries in Mozambique, which support approximately 334,000 people. It analyzes the pressures on the sector, including internal issues like overfishing and illegal 'chicocota' netting, and external pressures from the expansion of coal and gas extractive industries, tourism-driven marine protected areas, and climate change. The document evaluates the effectiveness of co-management through Community Fisheries Councils (CCPs) and recommends improving financial transparency, community involvement in environmental impact assessments, and adaptive governance to enhance resilience against climate-related hazards.

• Small-scale fisheries are a critical socio-economic pillar in Mozambique, with approximately 280,000 fishers supporting a wider network of suppliers, processors, and traders, totaling about 334,000 people dependent on the sector.
• The sector faces significant internal threats from overfishing and the proliferation of 'chicocota' nets—passive nets made from discarded shrimp and mosquito netting used illegally in estuaries.
• While the implementation of a vessel monitoring system (VMS) has largely resolved conflicts regarding the encroachment of registered industrial shrimp trawlers into the three-mile exclusive-use zone for small-scale fishers, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by unregistered vessels remains a major issue, costing Mozambique an estimated $30–$35 million annually.
• The establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) to support biodiversity and tourism has created tensions with local fishing communities due to a 'top-down' approach and restrictions on access to traditional fishing grounds.
• Mozambique is the third most vulnerable African country to climate change, facing risks from cyclones, droughts, and flooding that disrupt fisheries livelihoods and coastal infrastructure.
• The rapid expansion of the coal and gas sectors, particularly in the Tete province and the Rovuma basin, poses risks of pollution and habitat destruction, with concerns that environmental impact assessments (EIAs) lack sufficient community consultation.
• Co-management through 600 Community Fisheries Councils (CCPs) has helped reduce some harmful practices, but many CCPs suffer from weak institutional capacity and a lack of reimbursed license fees promised by the state.

APA

Benkenstein, A. (2013). Small-Scale Fisheries in a Modernising Economy: Opportunities and Challenges in Mozambique. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Research-Report-13.pdf

Chicago

Benkenstein, Alex. Small-Scale Fisheries in a Modernising Economy: Opportunities and Challenges in Mozambique. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2013. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Research-Report-13.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Benkenstein |first1=Alex |title=Small-Scale Fisheries in a Modernising Economy: Opportunities and Challenges in Mozambique |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=August 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Research-Report-13.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{benkenstein2013smallscale, author = {Benkenstein, Alex}, title = {{Small-Scale Fisheries in a Modernising Economy: Opportunities and Challenges in Mozambique}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = aug, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Research-Report-13.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }