Industry sources cited by Zitamar News said the company intends to leave the market entirely, a step that could further weaken a sector already struggling with depleted stocks and environmental damage.
At its peak, prawns generated about $100 million a year for Mozambique, helping to position the country as a key supplier to European and Asian markets.
Juvenile prawns were often harvested before reaching maturity, undermining the sustainability of the fishery and accelerating its decline.
Environmental pressures have added to the strain as sediment pollution linked to mineral sands mining in Nampula and Zambezia provinces has damaged key coastal breeding grounds.
Mangrove forests, which serve as critical nurseries for prawns and other marine species, have also been widely cleared for timber and firewood, further eroding the ecosystem.
As conditions worsened, multinational operators gradually withdrew from Mozambique’s shallow water prawn fishery, leaving Nueva Pescanova as the last major foreign player. Its planned departure marks the end of an era for an industry that once dominated the country’s seafood exports.
Some industrial fishing continues in deeper waters, targeting prawns known locally as gambas.
However, these are widely regarded as lower quality than the prized coastal varieties and typically command lower prices on international markets, limiting their ability to offset the broader decline.
