The Fishery Law (Lei das Pescas 3/90) aims at protecting threatened species through the establishment of Marine Protected Areas such as Parque Nacional das Qurimbas, Parque Nacional de Bazaruto and  Reserva Especial de Ponta de Ouro. The conservation police have been established by the Mozambican Government.  Although the Fisheries Law (Lei de Pescas) gives responsibility to the Ministry of Fisheries, the ministry is yet to take concrete actions towards the management of the fisheries. 




The initiatives for the establishment of the marine protected areas have been led by the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Environment. destructive fishing methods The main destructive fishing practices in Mozambique include the use of inappropriate fishing gears such as mosquito nets, gill nets, traps and poison. These practices do not discriminate between species and they also destroy the habitats. Beach seine fishery harvests adults and juveniles of both small and large species. Generally, catches of small and juvenile shrimp outweighs those of adult shrimps. 

Effects of aquaculture The cutting of mangroves for firewood and provision of construction materials is a major cause of mangrove deforestation in Mozambique. Any pressure placed on mangroves and seagrass beds can affect other coastal ecosystems because of their interlinkages. Corals are exploited for house construction and for sale to tourists. Coral destruction is also caused by beach seining, dynamiting and diving. The areas with more serious destruction of the corals include the whole of Northern Mozambique.  effects of tourism Recreational fishing is practiced across the Mozambican coast where tourist resorts exist. The sector comprises ski boats, shore anglers and spear fishers. 


Also included are non-consumptive SCUBA divers, who depend on healthy reefs and fish resources to practice their form of recreation, much of it tourist related. Around 30-40% of catches of recreational fishing consist of demersal species mainly Serranidae, Sparidae, Lutjanidae, and Lethrinidae. Game fish catches are mainly comprised of Scomberomorus commerson (sierra) and Thunus albacares (albacore).In order to ensure sustainable fisheries, there is a need to adopt the ecosystem approach to management of fisheries. 


Very few studies have In order to ensure sustainable fisheries, there is a need to adopt the cosystem approach to management of fisheries. This requires a sound understanding of intra- and inter-ecosystem linkages. Very few studies have A total of 18 marine mammals are found in Mozambique. These include species of dugong, dolphins and whales. Of these, 6 are common in littoral ecosystems . These include 3 species of migratory whales that breed in Mozambique waters, 2 species of dolphins that occur all year round and dugongs that feed on seagrass beds.

 A total of seven species of dolphins inhabit the littoral waters off Mozambique. The most common species in inshore waters are Indo-pacific bottlenose and humpback dolphins. These are found in Maputo Bay and the Bazaruto archipelago. In Maputo Bay, humpback dolphin abundance was estimated at 105 individuals (Guissamulo and Cockcroft 2004).From the seven species of whales recorded in Mozambican waters, Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and Minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) are common waters. The coast is also known as a winter breeding ground for whales which migrate from the Southern Ocean. Maputo Bay and adjacent waters are also breeding grounds for southern right whales (Eubalaena australis). 


However, this species has not been seen in the bay recently (Muir et al. 2004). Humpback whales are found in open waters between Ponta do Ouro and Inhambane. The largest number of individuals was recorded off Zavora, 100 km south of Inhambane bay (Muir et al. 2004). Minke whales also occur along the coast between Ponta do Ouro and Inhambane Bay. However, according to Hatton and Munguambe (1997), these species do not enter Maputo or Inhambane Bays. Only the southern right whale appears to face threats from fisheries (Muir et al. 2004). Two species of seals are reported for the Mozambican coast although the sighting of one sub-Antarctic seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) must be considered as unusual as it is usually found in the cooler waters off the southern Cape. 


Endangered species are depleted by destructive and non-selective fishing gears, and by destruction of ecosystems that support them. Marine mammals are also vulnerable to the destruction of habitat, accidental and intentional catches and pollution (Guissamulo 1993). Entanglements in gillnets appear to be a major cause of dugong mortality along the whole coast. 


Gillnets affects small coastal cetaceans, particularly bottlenose and humpback dolphins. A marked decline in coastal dolphin populations was observed in the early 1990s. Intentional captures also contribute to the decline of humpback dolphins (Guissamulo and Cockcroft 1997). ii) Gaps In order to reduce incidents on endangered species, there is a need to conduct research on the selective and environmentally sound fishing gears, and avoid the destruction of the ecosystems that support the endangered species. 


Furthermore, there is a need to conduct research on the restoration of the critical ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs. The main inappropriate fishing gears threatening endangered species re the drifting gillnets, bottom trawls, beach seining, dynamite and poison. In general there is a need to: Come-up with mitigation measures to reduce marine mammal by-catch. 

Feeding or disturbing marine mammals is prohibited. Carry out an assessment of dugong population, distribution and trends in Bazaruto Bay, southern Quirimba Archipelago and Maputo Bay. Conduct research on the breeding patterns of the dugongs. Mortality of young animals can threaten the continuity of the population. Set up a dugong satellite-tracking program in Bazaruto National Park to track long distance movements.