Fishermen gather seine nets from the water on the Ilha de Mafamede, Mozambique. (© WWF-US/James Morgan)
WWF urges Spaniards and Portuguese to support sustainable shrimp fisheries in Mozambique
(SPAIN, 7/4/2017)
WWF calls on European consumers, and especially the Spanish and Portuguese, to make informed decisions and to support the improvement of shrimp fishery management in Mozambique on an urgent basis. Otherwise, it warns that the availability and even the survival of the species will not be assured.
According to a new report by the conservation organization, 82 per cent of the shrimp exported by Mozambique is destined for the European Union (EU), but its historically abundant populations are currently under threat.
The report notes that shrimp capture in Mozambique has declined significantly over the last decade, to the point that this crustacean is now on the verge of collapse.
WWF recalls that every time a Spanish consumer buys shrimp from Mozambique it is influencing an entire chain that affects some 850,000 households that rely on fishing to survive.
The organization points out several reasons as the source of this problem. First, it explains that stocks are being fished unsustainably by all those involved. In fact, artisanal fishermen catch immature shrimp on the coast before they can breed. Also, in deeper water, trawls used by industrial vessels are also posing an increased risk to habitats, which increases the impact of overfishing.
Secondly, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing costs Mozambique between USD 36 and 67 million each year and makes the stock very difficult to monitor and manage.
Finally, shrimp trawlers' by-catch rates are estimated at 85 per cent, implying that they may be devastating ecosystems. However, fishermen are resistant to change, as they fear that less by-catch in nets also means less catch of shrimp.
"In addition, Mozambique ranks third among the African countries that the most vulnerable ones to the effects of climate change. What is added to this is that the country is developing rapidly, leading to pollution spreading and habitat destruction -- including mangroves, crucial nurseries to the shrimp," points out Celia Álvarez Doncel, a market technician of sustainable fisheries at WWF. "We have the perfect equation for the species to disappear," he adds.
However, WWF maintains that it is still possible to change the direction of Mozambique's fishery towards sustainability by offering better yields, lower impacts at sea, higher margins and long-term security. This will require collaboration and commitment from all stakeholders and an effective management and control regime.
Among the solutions proposed by WWF, there is an increase in awareness in the government, companies and fishermen; the regeneration of populations through a science-based approach, with seasonal closures to protect populations, and improved benefits by investing in infrastructure to freeze the product and have greater export potential.
"If demand continues to grow and the fishery is not well controlled, the consequences could be devastating. Mozambique's shrimp exports are of great importance to the local and regional economy, especially to coastal communities. Considerable efforts are being made to improve fisheries but there is a lot to do. Ultimately, things will change only if we all make conscious decisions to strengthen the future of the oceans and their resources, from the sea to our plate. One of the best ways to do this is to support sustainable production in developing countries," concludes Alvarez Doncel.
editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media
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