The Institute for the Development of Artisanal Fisheries (IPA) was created in 1992 for the promotion and development of artisanal sea and inland fisheries, as well as to provide support to aquaculture. It is an institute of the Ministry of Fisheries, with financial, administrative and patrimonial autonomy. IPA’s presence in Angola includes the headquarters in Luanda and provincial representations.
There are 102 communities along the 1650 km of Angolan coast. Their main livelihood comes from artisanal fisheries that involve men in fishing activities and women in fish processing and selling. The fishers use traditional fishing methods and gear - some of them destructive - and traditional fishing grounds are being encroached by industrial trawlers. Living conditions in coastal communities are usually poor.
IPA’s mission is to promote the development of artisanal fisheries communities, thereby contributing to the Government’s objectives of alleviating poverty and providing food security. Specific objectives in this area address safety at sea, working conditions, training, living conditions in fishing communities, production of dried fish and salt, and catch levels. Crucial to ensuring the sustainable management of Angola’s rich and diverse resources, IPA’s intervention includes areas such as:
