Title: Assessment of economic viability of the artisanal fisheries in Cabo Verde: recommendations for improvement.

The artisanal fishery of Cabo Verde plays an important role regarding food security, job creation and poverty reduction. Access to the fishery is controlled by a licensing system, but our analysis indicates that this system is inefficient in reducing catches, sustaining incomes. The fishery has many characteristics of open-access fisheries. This study assesses the economic viability of the fishery and how the management system can be improved upon. Current fishing effort is above the estimated level associated with maximum economic yield from most of the islands and adjustments are needed in effort. In order to move towards sustainable and efficient fishing it is necessary to change the number of vessels in the islands of Boavista, by -60%, Brava, by 9%, Fogo, by -57%, Maio, by -30%, Sal, by 14%, Santiago, by -13%, Santo Antão, by -7%, Sao Nicolau, by -19% and Sao Vicente, by -29%. On average the reduction need is -19%, which means a reduction in the total number of vessels which stands currently in current total number of vessels, which stands currently on 1,827, to 1,483. Low salaries, weak capacity to invest and strong dependence on one fishing gear and, consequently, short range of target species and fishing grounds, increases the associated risks to the economic viability of the fishery and results in low profits. Therefore, it is urgent to improve the management of the artisanal fishery in general. in this paper 9 policy interventions are identified, which aim to improve the biological and economic situation in the fishery.