To increase the aquaculture production from the current little more than three thousand tons to 24 thousand, as well as the generation of 17 thousand jobs, is the perspective of the Ministry of Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries, for the next five years.

According to the minister of this area, Augusta Maíta, the fishing sector is convinced that its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) can exceed the current figure of 2%, which is still low for a country like Mozambique, with the potential that it has natural conditions that offer a large advantage for captive fishing production.

Speaking at the opening of the VII MIMAIP Coordinating Council, the governor said it is the sector's understanding that, although a great leap in aquaculture is expected with the Small-Scale Aquaculture Development Program - ProDAPE, this initiative is not imminently an end in view of the objectives that Fisheries proposes to achieve, in the Captive Fishing Development Strategy.

"Therefore, we must continue to pursue actions so that we achieve at least 10% of exploitation of the aquaculture potential in the country. Here, our action should also be aimed at attracting the private sector, both national and foreign, in line with the public-private-community partnership intervention model," said Augusta Maíta.

One of the aspects that was highlighted in Augusta Maíta's speech was how the people living in coastal areas deal with the mangrove ecosystem, the main space for the reproduction of marine species.

He said that the distribution of the Mozambican population poses a huge challenge for the coastal zone, as more than 60 percent live in the coastal zone and most of them depend on the marine and coastal resources, including mangroves.

He acknowledged the widespread interest in mangrove ecosystems, mainly due to knowledge of their economic role, efficiency in protection and connection with fisheries, however, he expressed concern about their increasing degradation, transformation and conversion to other uses due to ignorance, mismanagement and poor enforcement.

"We need the goods and services that mangroves offer to humanity and to Mozambique, in particular, climate control through carbon sequestration and water purification," he said.

He stressed that it is nothing new that Mozambique has been feeling the harmful effects of coastal erosion and climatic events, such as cyclones and floods, more frequently and more severely, due to its unresponsible behavior in its relationship with nature.