Millions of people around the world depend on marine resources as a source of food, recreational activities such as fishing, scientific research, transportation, mineral exploration, and tourism, among many others. Fishing plays a major economic and traditional role in São Tomé and Príncipe, representing a source of income for much of the population, for whom seafood is the main source of protein. The country’s fisheries sector is exclusively artisanal and provides employment to thousands of people, making it the main source of family income after cocoa. Fishing is largely focused on catching small pelagic species, while no industrial fishing is carried out locally due to a lack of infrastructure.
From a perspective of gradually transitioning from fishing to sustainable aquaculture, the Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries is continuously working toward the sustainable development of the fisheries sector. This is based on the understanding of various biological aspects, integrating management, protection, and conservation measures, and developing scientific and technical knowledge that enables the sustainable exploitation of natural resources and the implementation of marine farming technologies.
Direcção das Pescas e Aquacultura in NATUR-EXT: The Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries will participate in training activities on extraction techniques and methodologies. Their involvement in workshops and seminars will help inform and refine the protocols and technologies developed within the project. They will also be involved in installation and demonstration activities.
Go to the website of the Direcção das Pescas e Aquacultura (São Tomé and Príncipe)