Targeting the fishing industry with new management measures

Reducing fishing capacity and illegal fishing

ANGOLA: The Angolan government has announced new measures to reduce overcapacity of the fishing fleet and improve the monitoring of the sector through the signing of a Presidential Decree that aims to decrease the fleet by 20% by 2026 and introduce drone monitoring.

The order (Presidential Decree 56/25) will see the use Automatic Identification Systems (AIS), Continuous Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) and drones to monitor and sustainably manage the fishing fleet.

It also establishes a set of targets to reduce the overcapacity of the fishing fleet by 20 percent by 2026 are part of the fisheries sector management measures.

These technologies will enable more effective control of activities at sea, ensuring transparency in the licensing of vessels and the preservation of marine resources.

The aim of these measures is to ensure that fishing activities develop in a sustainable manner, adjusting the number of vessels to the admissible fishing effort, in accordance with marine resource assessment studies.

A target reduction of fishing fleet capacity of 15% has been set for 2025 and limiting access to fishing through licensing will see this achieved by December this year.

With the goal of reducing illegal catches by 30% by 2026, the Angolan government plans to increase inspections and will record the number of infringements to measure the effectiveness of the programme.

Strengthening management with technology

The government aims to see satellite monitoring systems on 80 percent of commercial vessels by 2026 to enable stricter control of operations at sea, contributing to the reduction of illegal fishing.

This implementation of integrated data platforms will enable more efficient management, based on the collection and analysis of information in real time.

The decree adjusts the licensing of vessels to the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of each fishery, ensuring that fishing capacity remains within the limits that guarantee the regeneration of fishery resources.

Modernising the fishing fleet

The government is also committed to creating public-private partnerships (PPPs) to modernise the fishing fleet and intends to formalise five partnerships by 2027.

These agreements will promote the investment in renovating vessels and improving the sector's infrastructure, to promote more efficient and sustainable fishing.

The modernisation of the fishing fleet and support infrastructures could also benefit from international cooperation, through agreements and technical support aimed at the sustainable development of the sector.

The strategy is underscored by the need to adopt sustainable financing strategies, including green financing, public-private partnerships (PPP), collective financing and microfinancing.

Training and awareness campaigns

According to a statement, 100 awareness-raising campaigns on sustainable fishing practices are planned for fishing communities during 2025 to promote greater awareness of the importance of preserving marine resources.

The new decree also provides for increased training for fishing operators, setting a target of training 500 fishermen in sustainable fishing practices and resource management.

The effectiveness of this initiative will be measured by the number of fishermen trained and by assessing their knowledge before and after training.

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