Drastic cut in fishing fees draws foreign fleets to Mozambique

Mozambique drastically reduces fees for foreign tuna fleets
Maputo, 8 August 2023 - A significant reduction in tuna fishing licence fees for foreign fleets has recently been implemented by the Mozambican Government, following the update of the 2018 tables, which took effect at the end of July.

The new legislation, designated ministerial diploma no. 100/2023 and dated 25 July, refers to an update of the tuna fishing fees applicable both to the national fleet with a foreign home port and to the foreign fleet operating in Mozambique's jurisdictional waters. This measure amends the previous diploma no. 60/2018, dated 1 October.

Mozambique's ministries of the Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries and of Economy and Finance collaborated in promulgating the diploma, which dictates a reduction in the annual fees to be paid by each foreign-fleet fishing vessel for catching tuna.

Under this new framework, there is a decrease in all fishing modalities. In purse seine fishing, vessels with a national port will see a drop of 55%, to 4.038 million meticais, while vessels with a foreign port will have a reduction of 41%, to seven million meticais.

As for longline fishing (a specific type of line fishing), foreign vessels with a national port will have a reduction of 77%, to 1.489 million meticais, and those with a foreign port a reduction of 62.5%, to 3.150 million meticais.

On the other hand, the fees for the national fleet remain practically unchanged, with the notable exception of longline fishing by vessels with a foreign port, which saw a 100% increase, now standing at 2.149 million meticais .

The implementation of this measure comes at a time when the Mozambican Government expects to catch 3,748 tonnes of national tuna over the year, which would represent a substantial increase of 172.7% compared with the 2022 forecast. However, in the first quarter of this year, a catch of only 183 tonnes of tuna was recorded, a figure that is nonetheless more than double the 67 tonnes of the same period in 2022.

These changes in licence fees reflect the Mozambican Government's desire to promote the fishing industry in the country, making it more attractive to foreign investors and operators, without losing sight of the need to balance the interests of the national fleet.