The project Omali Vida Nón / KiKe da Mungu visit Cape Verde

The project Omali Vida Nón / Kike da Mungu together with its partners, the Regional Secretariat of Environment, Regional Department of Fisheries, Directorate of Fisheries and representatives of fishing communities of the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, participated in an exchange trip with Maio Biodiversity Foundation this past May, on Maio island in Cape Verde. This exchange trip aimed to share experiences and knowledge on the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

The various participants had the opportunity to learn about the MPAs of Maio Island, the process that led to their establishment and the processes, rules and practices that operationalize their surveillance and management. Among these practices, and with whom the participants had the opportunity to engage, are the “Núcleo de Fiscalização Conjunta” (Joint Surveillance Unit), composed of the main authorities and institutions of Maio, and whose aim is to join forces and resources to combat illegal activities on the island; and the project “Guardiões do Mar” (Guardians of the Sea) implemented by Maio Biodiversity Foundation, which works with a group of volunteer fishermen who monitor their fishing areas for illegal fishing activities and presence of marine megafauna.

The projects Homestay, led by female heads of households on the island of Maio and which aims to promote the well-being of communities and generate income by hosting tourists and volunteers in their homes who preserve local biodiversity and protected areas; and EcoGuias which supports local youths in developing ecotourism activities to promote sustainable, environmental and environmentally friendly tourism, are two more projects that together with the above-mentioned ones, show the diversity of strategies that can be used in the management, supervision, monitoring and economic valorisation of MPAs.

The exchange allowed participants to gain a new range of knowledge and experience that will be shared with the other stakeholders of the project and used in the current process of implementation of Marine Protected Areas in the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe.