Call for Proposals

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Exploring the wealth of coastal fisheries: Listening to community voices is a conference hosted by the Universidade dos Açores. The conference will look at the role of fishing communities in deciding and evaluating fisheries policy.
We aim to encourage discussion between local and international researchers and fishing communities. The conference languages are English and Portuguese. Interactive methods will be used to help people communicate.


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We have been consulting widely with people from different islands, different perspectives on coastal fisheries and community life and researchers from different areas and countries to create the program*:

Association of wives of fishermen and ship owners in Terceira (AMPA-IT)
Islands network - Association of women in fisheries in the Azores
Marine education network of the Azores (REMA)
Terceira ship owners' association (ATA)
Association of producers of demersal species of the Azores (APEDA)
Association of Azorean producers of tuna (APAS)
Cooperative of fishermen of Ribeira Quente
Parish of Ribeira Quente
Department of oceanography and fisheries, University of the Azores
Town council of
São Mateus da Calheta
Fishers and other members of fishing communities in several islands.

Topics of interest resulting from community consultation include:
- Fisheries Policy: the lack of a clear policy and strategy for fisheries of the Azores;
- Opportunities to increase direct sales, improving transport and marketing of high quality fish, with a view to obtaining better prices.
- Education: access to education and relevance of education for young fishermen seeking credentials for fishing, the problem of young people leaving the fishery and their communities when they complete their training.
- Partnerships for monitoring and management science - such as fishermen and researchers working together to implement marine parks (examples
Caneiro dos Meros, in Corvo & the Condor Bank) and other issues related to management of stocks;
- Opportunities and challenges for tourism of traditional fishing
  * Participation to be confirmed


Preliminary Schedule
Ilha Terceira
21 October, Friday – Angra do Heroísmo, the University of the Azores

Interactive round tables and poster sessions - facilitated discussions with Portuguese/English translation


22 October, Saturday – São Mateus, (fishing village close to Angra)

Sharing summaries of round table discussion, poster sessions and further interactions with local fishing community


Ilha São Miguel
23 October, Sunday

Travel to São Miguel
Informal meetings and viewing of island


24 October, Monday
Visit to fishing communities in São Miguel
Meetings with community representations