Closing of the artisanal fisheries co-management project in Cabo Verde

From May 2024 to April 2025, COFREPECHE supported the Cape Verdean authorities in developing co-management of artisanal fisheries on the islands of Santo Antão, São Vicente, Sal, and Santiago. Funded by the World Bank under the Resilient Tourism and Blue Economy Development (RTBED) program, the project aimed to establish a sustainable, inclusive, and participatory framework for the governance of marine resources at the community level.

Implemented in close collaboration with the National Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DNPA), IMar, IGP, municipalities, fishers’ associations, local NGOs, UGPE, and the World Bank, the project involved a participatory diagnostic with 16 fishing communities, combined with an analysis of the political, institutional, and legal framework of artisanal fisheries. These findings led to the development of a methodological manual to support the implementation of co-management and its accompanying action plan.

This work was consolidated during a national workshop held simultaneously in Praia and Mindelo on October 16 and 17, 2024, gathering 70 participants, and further enriched at a final restitution workshop in Mindelo on January 29, 2025, which brought together 62 representatives from the target communities and national institutions. These exchanges helped validate the results, refine the recommendations, and shape a realistic roadmap for national rollout of the co-management approach.

We extend our sincere thanks to all the experts who contributed to this initiative, in particular Bernard Adrien, Teresa Amador, Cédric Bernet, and Katelene Delgado, for their remarkable commitment and collaborative spirit.

COFREPECHE is proud to have supported this structuring project and remains fully committed to fostering shared governance, sustainability, and resilience in Cabo Verde’s artisanal fisheries.