The issues of major concern related to the productivity of the coastal ecosystems are resource availability and  biodiversity conservation. The corals, mangroves and seagrass beds are most productive coastal ecosystems, sustaining large coastal and marine resources that in turn, provides livelihood to a large proportion of the population. 





This contributes considerably to the economy of the country. Unfortunately, these ecosystems are being degraded at a very high rate. There is a need to conduct research on the suitable indicators of the state of marine ecosystem health, including linkages between the state of ecosystems and productivity and resource availability. With regard to mangroves, there is a need to establish the main drivers determining the health of mangrove ecosystems. 

There is also a need to establish linkages between mangrove wetlands and the fisheries productivity in coastal areas. With regard to corals, there is a need to establish linkages between corals and fish abundance, taking into account the migratory stocks. With regard to seagrass beds, there is a need to establish linkages with fish stocks and in particular with the distribution and abundance of dugongs. fish and fish resources The territorial offshore waters of Mozambique cover a surface area of about 100,000 km2. The fisheries potential is estimated to be between 220,000 and 330,000 tonnes (Fisheries Master Plan 2010-2019). These correspond to 25,000– 28,000 tonnes of crustaceans (mainly shallow and deep water shrimps, lobsters and crabs), and 136,000 – 245,000 tonnes of marine demersal and pelagic fishes.


 At the river mouths, estuaries and adjacent areas, small pelagic and demersal fish and crustaceans of estuarine waters are dominant. On the coastal islands fishing activities are concentrated mainly on demersal fish and some pelagic species. The coastal rocky sea beds support demersal fish, small pelagic fish and tuna species. In the banks and oceanic peaks, there are concentrations of tuna and small amounts of demersal species of high commercial value. The Sofala Bank, in the central part of the country has the largest proportion of the country’s marine resources – both small demersal and pelagic fish. The northern coast is characterized by the presence of rocky and coral sea bed that is exposed during low tide. This zone also has low river influence and a narrow continental shelf and sheltered islands and bays.


 This zone includes Cabo Delgado province and the northern and central districts of Nampula province. The most common artisanal gear type used in this zone is hand line. Fish species caught include Scombridae (Scomberomorus commerson), Carangidae, Gerreidae, Scaridae and Lutjanidae in Cabo Delgado Province, Serranidae (Epinephelus albomarginatus, Epinephelus fasciatus), Lethrinidae (Lethrinus variegates, Lethrinus lentjan), Synodontidae (Sinodus dermatogenis), Carangidae and Sphyraenidae are caught in Nampula Province. The fish species of family Sphyraenidae (Sphyraena barracuda), Caesionidae (Caesio varilineata) and Clupeidae (Ambligaster sirm) are predominantly caught by beach seines. Another group of fish species targeted in the artisanal fisheries is caught in the sand substratum by beach seine and gill nets.


 The most important species from the beach seine fishery are Gazza minuta, Sardinella albella, Scomberoides tol, Chirocentrus nudus and in the gill net fishery are Scomberomorus commerson, Chirocentrus nudus and C. dorab. There is no information regarding the level of exploitation for these fish species. It extends from two most southerly districts of Nampula province to Govuro district, in Inhambane province. The beaches of the central part (Sofala Bank) are sandy and gently sloping, which is favourable for beach seining operations. No information regarding the level of exploitation of these fish species is available. 


The shrimp fishery by-catch is dominated by Sciaenidae family (Otolithes ruber, Johnius amblicephalus). Apart from this group of fish species, other fishes caught include Haemulidae (Pomadasys maculatum), Clupeidae (Pellona ditchela), Trichiuridae (Trichiurus lepturu) and Engraulidae (Thryssa vitrirostris). The southern coast in the central area of the Boa Paz bank extends from Govuro district, in Inhambane province, to the extreme south of Maputo province. It has beaches in some areas, with sea beds sown with corals and rocks, with some sheltered bays, exposed to strong southerly winds, particularly from Inhambane area to the far south of the territory. 

From Bazaruto Island to Ponta de Ouro, there are sandy beaches that have small areas with coral reefs. The sandy area in some places has sandy banks that are exposed during the low tide. Other areas are covered by seagrasses that provide shelter and food for many fish species. The Inhambane (except in Inhassoro district) catches are mostly comprised of pelagic species (Carangidae, Clupeidae, Siganidae, Gerridae, Leiognathidae, and Scombridae) and a few demersal species. The important species are Siganus sutor, Gerres oyena and Lethrinus lentjan (Lethrinidae).