Socioeconomic Importance of the Small-Scale Mud Crab Fishing (Scylla Serrata, Forskall 1775) in the Bons Sinais Estuary—Mozambique

Abstract

Mud crab fishing (Scylla serrata) is an important activity contributing to the livelihood of coastal communities in Mozambique. The abundance of this crab and the increase in international companies in the region that exclusively buy crabs and export to the Asian market have caused fisheries to gain local importance in recent years. The present study evaluates the socioeconomic importance of mud crab fishing and the contribution of this activity to the quality of life (QoL) of the local communities along the Bons Sinais Estuary (BSE)—Mozambique. The study was conducted in three fishing villages of the BSE (Mucupia, Carungo, and Inhangulue) to collect information on the economic and sociocultural structure conditions of the local crab families. Field data collection focuses on direct observation and a semi-structured questionnaire divided into four categories/dimensions: fishing activity (FA), family structure (FS), typology of household expenditure (HE), and other activities (OTA). The socioeconomic conditions of fishers’ families were analyzed based on the fishery contribution index (FCI), which comprises different indicators related to FA, HE, and OTA. The monthly fishing revenue ranged from MZN 2.500 (EUR ≈ 35) to MZN 30.000 (EUR ≈ 417), with an average of around MZN 10.796 (EUR ≈ 150) per fisher, slightly exceeding the minimum wage set for public service in Mozambique, which is around MZN 8000 (EUR ≈ 112). The contribution of mud crab fishing is low and is not directly related to enhancement of QoL, meaning that the fishing revenue of mud crabs is barely enough to cover the basic needs of fishers’ families, such as basic services and basic goods. Investments are mainly for transport, including bicycles. The FCI was also low, standing at the alert level (FCI = 0.26–0.50) in all three communities. As the crab market is still growing in the country, it is important that the government, through competent authorities, creates public policies to ensure sustainable exploitation, regulates the selling price of mud crabs according to size, as happens in other countries, and promotes basic services that facilitate the self-development of the fishing communities.