The main objective of the Blue Economy is a sustainable exploitation of the oceans that reduces environmental risks and increases the quality of life (QoL). It is urgent to capacitate local communities with appropriate marine biodiversity management tools to achieve blue growth, ensure sustainability of fisheries and conservation of threatened species and adaptation to global changes. One of the priorities of the project is to produce within five years results that could have a meaningful impact in African Tropical islands and be applicable elsewhere in developing countries and regions, regarding conservation management measures of the potentially threatened species, especially in the case of an amphidromous species (‘peixinho’ – little fish, Sicydium bustamantei Greeff, 1884). This is an endemic species of São Tomé and Principe (STP), and an important fishery resource of the Guinea Gulf islands. Little is known about the biology, ecology, life cycle and fisheries of this species. This proposal intends to do the ‘peixinho’ study-case, a big example for similar goby fry fisheries in other tropical islands. Moreover, we also intend to use these funds to educate local population for alternative marine resources uses, biodiversity studies and conservation management measures in nearshore and riverine areas.
This project will address two major aspects: scientific knowledge – Oceanography & Biodiversity; and Fisheries & Capacity building for conservation, management, and adaptation. The project will include field monitoring surveys, data analyses and modelling, citizen science campaigns for local ecological information from coastline and riverine users and promoting literacy about the marine biodiversity. The project will produce databases and ensure their update, reuse, and future maintenance, vital for accurately defining which species and ecosystems are under greatest threat, what conservation actions need to be applied and produce guidelines to do it. Since there is a heavy reliance on natural marine resources in STP, there is an urgent need for assessing fish stocks that affect QoL.