Fishing Effort and Associated Catch per Unit Effort for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mozambique Channel Region: 1950–2016

The Mozambique Channel region in East Africa has diverse marine ecosystems and serves as a migratory corridor for economically important species. Local foreign industrial fisheries operate the Channel, but regional small-scale are crucially that provide food security, livelihoods, economic opportunities rural coastal communities. This study reconstructed investigated trends fishing effort catch per unit (CPUE) of four Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) constitute i.e., Union Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, Mozambique, from 1950 to 2016. Effective form capacity kWdays (i.e., kilowatt days) was derived using number, length, motorization (engine power) by vessels, well an approximate human-powered equivalent shore-based fishers without days year. increased nearly 60 times just over 386,000 23 million Correspondingly, overall CPUE, based on previously independently data declined 91% whole, under 175 kg?kWday –1 early 1950s 15 recent years. All EEZs showed strongest declines CPUE earlier decades, driven growth vessel numbers impacting effective effort. Increased combined with substantial were drivers increasing decreasing clearly suggest continuing increase absence restrictive management actions may exacerbate overexploitation risk.