Mozambique Fisheries & Aquaculture Investment Guide 2026: 549,533 Tonne Target, 90,000 Artisanal Fishers

Mozambique targets 549,533 tonnes of fish production in the 2026 fishing season. The country has a 2,470km coastline with fisheries potential of 385,000+ tonnes from capture and 78,000 tonnes from aquaculture. An IFAD-backed project aims to transform livelihoods of 90,000 artisanal fishers across five coastal provinces. Fish production grew 12% to 460,000 tonnes in 2022. This guide covers fisheries investment opportunities, aquaculture expansion, and how MBC connects investors to this vital sector.

Mozambique Fisheries: Current State

Production Data

• 2026 target: 549,533 tonnes (0.3% increase YoY)
• 2022 production: 460,000 tonnes (12% growth YoY)
• Capture fisheries potential: 385,000+ tonnes/year
• Aquaculture potential: 78,000 tonnes/year (currently only 2,400 tonnes in 2021)
• Artisanal fishers: 90,000 (IFAD project target)
• Coastline: 2,470km
• Key species: Prawns, tilapia, tuna, lobster, shrimp
• Provinces: Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Zambézia, Sofala, Inhambane

Why Fisheries Matter

1. Food security — fish provides 50%+ of animal protein in Mozambique
2. Employment — 90,000+ artisanal fishers + processing jobs
3. Export revenue — prawns are a major export commodity
4. Aquaculture gap — only 2,400 of 78,000 tonne potential realized (3%)
5. IFAD investment — new project transforming 90,000 fisher livelihoods
6. 2,470km coastline — massive untapped potential
7. Post-harvest loss — 60% of fish lost to lack of cold chain

Investment Opportunities

1. Aquaculture Farm Development ($250K - $5M, 20-30% IRR)

Model: Tilapia and prawn aquaculture in coastal provinces Gap: Only 3% of aquaculture potential realized (2,400 of 78,000 tonnes) Technology: IoT water quality sensors, satellite monitoring Market: Domestic demand (50%+ of animal protein) + export

2. Cold Chain & Processing Facility ($500K - $3M, 25-35% IRR)

Problem: 60% post-harvest loss due to lack of cold chain Model: Cold storage + processing (filleting, freezing, drying) at coastal hubs Location: Beira, Nacala, Pemba ports Payment: Via M-Pesa

3. Artisanal Fisher Aggregation ($100K - $500K, 20-30% IRR)

Model: Aggregate catch from 90,000 artisanal fishers Network: MBC collection hubs at coastal villages Quality: Grade by species, size, freshness Export: Asia Bridge to Asian markets

4. Prawn Export Operation ($500K - $3M, 25-35% IRR)

Species: Mozambican prawns (premium export product) Market: Europe, Asia, South Africa Price: $15-25/kg export (vs $3/kg domestic) Infrastructure: Cold chain + Beira/Nacala port access

5. Fisher Micro-Loan Program ($50K - $250K, 15-20% IRR)

Model: Micro-loans to artisanal fishers for boats, nets, motors Credit Scoring: Satellite-based (fishing zone productivity + M-Pesa history) Disbursement: Via M-Pesa B2C Repayment: Harvest-aligned (after catch sale)

Key Facts

| Metric | Value | |--------|-------| | 2026 production target | 549,533 tonnes | | Aquaculture potential | 78,000 tonnes (3% realized) | | Artisanal fishers | 90,000 | | Coastline | 2,470km | | Post-harvest loss | 60% (cold chain gap) | | Prawn export price | $15-25/kg | | IFAD project | Transforming 90,000 fishers | | Key species | Prawns, tilapia, tuna, lobster |

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