The decree creating the co-management committee for the octopus (Octopus vulgaris) fishery in the Algarve was published in the Diário da República on Wednesday 6 March. This will be the second co-management committee for a fishery in Portugal, following the pioneering work of the goose barnacle catch co-management in the Berlengas Nature Reserve.

In October 2023, the request to set up this co-management committee was formally submitted to the government, after more than 51% of licence holders for octopus fishing in the Algarve were in favour of the co-management model for the region. In February 2024, with the collection of signatures continuing, the Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (DGRM) found that the implementation of this co-management model already had the support of more than 75% of licence holders (representing more than 600 licences), meeting the necessary conditions to continue the process of setting up the Algarve Octopus Fishing Co-management Committee.

This progress is the result of the ParticiPESCA project, whose main objective was to implement co-management for octopus fishing in the Algarve, with a view to the sustainability of this resource. For two years, the project involved 15 fishermen's associations and producers' organisations, representing more than 700 fishermen throughout the Algarve region, as well as other entities involved in the fishery, such as the administration, the scientific community, non-governmental organisations and civil society. After the formal conclusion of the project in June 2023, two more fishermen's associations have joined, bringing the total to 17. The ParticiPESCA project was led by the ANPlWWF in partnership with IPMA, CCMAR and EDF, funded by the MAR 2020 OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME and co-financed by the Oceano Azul Foundation, whose support was also crucial in ensuring the entire process of collecting signatures.

Co-management is a system of shared management of a fishery or fishing area, constituting a new paradigm in the management of fishing resources based on an inclusive, transparent, informed, accessible and science-based participatory process, in which everyone has a voice and a decision on the future of the activity. It is operationalised through the creation of a co-management committee, with regulatory powers to sustainably manage and monitor the respective fishery or area, in accordance with the best available scientific knowledge. In this context, the implementation of co-management of octopus fishing in the Algarve places Portugal at the forefront of participatory and sustainable fisheries management at European level.

"This is a unique step for the sustainability of the fishery and the protection of coastal communities in the region. It's really impressive to see that this was a desire declared by a large majority of fishermen, whose participation, combined with scientific knowledge, will undoubtedly contribute to more effective and sustainable fisheries management" explains Rita Sá, ANP|WWF's Oceans and Fisheries Coordinator. "With the creation of the co-management committee, and as an alternative to the traditional top-down approach, we will all be working together to build the regulation, monitoring and inspection processes for octopus fishing in the Algarve. As we have said, the future of octopus fishing in the Algarve lies here".

According to the recommendations of the ParticiPESCA project delivered to the government, the Algarve Octopus Fishery Co-Management Committee, supported by a General Assembly that takes the decisions and an Executive Committee that develops the proposals, should be made up of fishermen's associations and producer organisations in this area of intervention, entities with powers in marine administration, municipalities, scientific organisations and environmental organisations.

For more information please contact:
Ana Aresta | Communications Officer – Oceans and Wildlife Practices, ANP|WWF
aaresta@natureza-portugal.org  | (+351) 914 485 627 | https://www.natureza-portugal.org/