The Algarve Octopus Comanagement Committee received the title of Personality of the Municipality of Olhão, in the ceremonies celebrating National Fisherman's Day in this municipality, which took place on Friday, May 31st.
The award-winning structure has played «a crucial role in the sustainability and effective management of octopus fishing, one of the main economic activities in the region».
«This award is a fair tribute to the tireless work and dedication of its members (fishermen, scientists, authorities and NGOs), who have contributed significantly to the development and preservation of the Algarve's marine resources», considers the Octopus Comanagement Committee from the Algarve.
The Committee was created following the ParticiPESCA project, which involved 14 Fishermen's Associations (now 17), representing more than 700 fishermen throughout the region, in addition to other entities involved in fishing such as administration, scientific community and sector commercial.
Over the years, this working group “monitored the resource and the fishery with a view to developing a management plan for it”.
For Rita Sá, one of the project's mentors and coordinator of Oceans and Fisheries at ANP|WWF, «the Committee's choice for this distinction highlights the importance of fishing in the economy and culture of Olhão, an area deeply representative and dependent on this activity. The co-management model implemented by the Committee serves as an example for other regions, demonstrating that it is possible to find a fair balance between environmental conservation, the economic exploitation of a resource and the interests of local communities».
ParticiPESCA ended in July 2023 and was a project led by ANPlWWF in partnership with IPMA, CCMAR and EDF, financed by the Mar 2020 Operational Program and with co-financing from the Oceano Azul Foundation.
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