São Tomé and Príncipe promotes longline fishing
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Telanon
A three-month responsible fishing project is encouraging São Tomé and Príncipe’s fishermen to adopt longline fishing, a more selective technique than small-mesh nets. The Oikos, Marapa and Tatô programme associations have trained several communities and presented a manual on sustainable practices, reports Telanon.
São Tomé and Príncipe is promoting longline fishing, a technique using lines and hooks, to gradually replace brisa fishing, which uses small-mesh nets. The three-month responsible fishing project led by the organisations Oikos and Marapa and the Tatô programme presents the method as a more selective alternative, according to consultant Alexander Ramos.
The project brought together fishermen and fishmongers from several communities for awareness workshops and the design of fishing equipment. Antunes Pina, representing the Tatô programme, said that a responsible fishing manual had been drawn up as a result of this work.
The use of nets remains authorised if they comply with the regulated mesh size and legislation in force, Alexander Ramos said. Funded by Fish4ACP to the tune of around $200,000, the project aims to preserve the archipelago’s fish stocks and the future of fishing, according to José Bouças.
