With the general objective of conserving and ensuring marine biodiversity, the sustainability of fisheries and the livelihoods of families dependent on marine resources in São Tomé and Príncipe, the project “Establishment of a network of marine protected areas in São Tomé and Príncipe through a co-management approach” began in 2018, following the needs identified in the Omali Vida Nón (intervention on the island of Príncipe) and Kike da Mungu (intervention on the island of São Tomé) projects.

 

The isolation and poor development of fishing in the archipelago of São Tomé and Príncipe, which is mainly carried out by artisanal fishermen using hooks and lines or other rudimentary fishing gear, has contributed to the relative preservation of coastal fisheries resources in this part of the Gulf of Guinea. However, the relative abundance of fish in the waters of the two islands is increasingly attracting fishermen with greater travel and catch capacity, threatening the sustainability of fisheries resources and causing an increase in conflicts over access.

 

Factors such as the effects of climate change and human actions on the coastline also contribute to the degradation of marine ecosystems.

 

The sustainable management of these coastal fisheries resources requires the involvement of all users of the marine environment in decision-making regarding fishing rules in the different components of the coastal zone (rivers, estuaries, bays, reefs, islets and the high seas) and will depend on several factors, including better regulation of access rights that may be subject to criteria of legitimacy and priority. The project is also based on effective compliance with fishing rules and negotiation with stakeholders of local rules for sustainable fishing, which could help to mitigate inter-community conflicts and ensure the regeneration of these natural resources.

 

Targeting fishermen and palaiês with an interest in the fishery resources of both islands (São Tomé and Príncipe), as well as the relevant administrations in this issue, the project aims to achieve three major results, namely: