The small fishing community of Puerto Cayo, located in the south-west of Manabi Province on Ecuador's Pacific coast is the setting for an experiment in sustainable fishing methods that has endured since the 1970s. In partnership with government agencies, the Participatory Fisheries Management Board of Puerto Cayo has formalized attempts to better conserve coastal biodiversity and improve fishing livelihoods.

One of the leading innovations in this effort was the introduction of a push net that is less damaging to the shrimp, and reduced by-catch of larval and juvenile shellfish and finfish, allowing shrimp populations to regenerate. This was supported by a trial fishing area closure period in 2002, and has been underpinned in recent years by the development of alternative livelihoods, including ecotourism, to reduce reliance on fishing incomes.

 

Key Facts 

Equator Prize Winner: 2004
Founded: 1970
Location: Puerto Cayo, Manabi Province, Ecuador
Beneficiaries: 169 households involved in fishing
Biodiversity: Machalilla National Park

 

Case Study

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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