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Consultation workshop: 24 April 2024, Mindelo, Cabo Verde

Tuna and black mackerel are two important species for the well-being and livelihoods of Cabo Verdeans, providing both family incomes and food security. However, it is essential to adopt approaches and solutions to reduce pressure on these resources, such as the ecosystem approach to fisheries management.

Following the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) training sessions and field mission held in March 2024, the SVC4SIDS project and EAF Nansen Programme co-organised, in collaboration with the Cabo Verde Ministry of the Sea, a consultation and validation of baseline information for fisheries management based on the ecosystem approach to fisheries.

At the workshop opening Ms Katya Neves, FAO Assistant Programme in Cabo Verde, underlined that “the creation of a sustainable value chain for fishery products is not possible without sustainable management of fishery resources, which is why special attention to Fishery Resource Management Plans and the processes and mechanisms for their preparation are essential, adopting principles and methodologies internationally accepted reference standards”.

The collaboration among SVC4SIDS EAF-Nansen and Cabo Verde Ministry of the Sea marks a key step in the implementation of a 10-year strategy launched in June 2023 to upgrade the value chains of mackerel scad, and tunas and tuna-like species in Cabo Verde. In this regard, Ms Neves highlighted that “after the presentation of the SVC4SIDS project, the launch of the tuna and black mackerel upgrading strategy, we are now carrying out this workshop to consult and validate baseline information for fisheries management based on the ecosystem approach to fisheries in partnership with the EAF- NANSEN. This is an issue to which FAO has given special attention”.

Ms Iolanda Brites, representative of the National Fisheries Directorate of the Republic of Cabo Verde, stated: “Broadly speaking, in order to capture mackerel and tuna, we will have to have an ecosystem approach, a resource management plan that we have implemented since 2005. At the moment, these are two important fisheries for Cabo Verde and, of course, to have income, we have to manage in a sustainable way”.

Left picture. From right to left: Ms Katya Neves, FAO Representative Assistant Programme, Ms Iolanda Brites, National Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Mr José Lopes da Veiga, National Project Coordinator, FAO
Right picture. Participants enganged in a discussion during the consulation