Cape Verde fisheries under study by former fellow

In a recently published paper a former fellow, João Antonio F. Brito, sheds new light on the status of the fisheries sector in his home country, Cape Verde, and its contribution to total output and employment.

The paper is published in Ocean & Coastal Management, a leading international journal, and is based on research João conducted in the FTP’s six-month training programme last year, with co-authors Thanh Viet Nguyen and Daði Már Kristófersson as his supervisors.

Their findings indicate that in 2021, the fishing effort and harvest levels in Cape Verde exceeded those necessary for maximum sustainable yield.

To ensure the biological sustainability and growth of fisheries in Cape Verde, a reduction of 17 percent in fishing effort and 9 percent in harvest is recommended.

Furthermore, the results of a so called Input–Output model reveal an output multiplier of 1.743 and an employment multiplier of 1.265 for the fishing sector.

This means that if the final demand of the fishing sector increases by a dollar, the economy’s total output will increase by 1.743 dollars and for every dollar invested in the fishing and aquaculture sector, 1.265 individuals are employed.

The authors conclude by suggesting “that if policy makers aim to increase the output multiplier effect, they should focus on increasing the number of industrial vessels. However, if their goal is to achieve a higher employment multiplier, promoting artisanal vessels is the best solution.”

The paper can be accessed through the journal’s website here >; or directly from ScienceDirect here >