Fishing for Sustainable Livelihoods in Angola: The Co-operative Approach

This research paper examines the role of co-operatives in governing the artisanal fisheries sector in Angola. It argues that co-operatives can serve as a mechanism for co-management and a tool for formalising a largely informal subsector, provided they are treated as voluntary, bottom-up enterprises rather than top-down state instruments.

• Artisanal fisheries are critical to Angolan livelihoods and food security, with approximately two-thirds of the country's 31,500 fishers operating in the artisanal subsector. It is estimated that up to half of the total population depends on fisheries for a significant part of their livelihoods.
• The Angolan government utilizes a 'hardware and soft-business' approach to development in both agriculture and artisanal fisheries, focusing on infrastructure and microenterprise. Co-operatives are the preferred vehicle for interaction between the state and local communities to address the 'culture of informality'.
• Angola's 'Angolisation' policy prioritises national ownership in the fisheries sector. The Law on Biological Aquatic Resources of 2004 requires all industrial fishing activities to be conducted in association with Angolan enterprises, meaning foreign vessels must lease to Angolan firms or form joint ventures.
• The artisanal fisheries subsector in Angola is characterized by significant informality, which grew during decades of civil war as the formal economy collapsed. This informality creates uncertainty for governance and data collection.
• Co-operatives in Angola are burdened by a legacy of Portuguese colonialism and state socialism, where they were often treated as top-down, semi-public enterprises. This contrasts with the ideal of voluntary, 'bottom-up' mutual self-help organisations.
• A draft general law of co-operatives has been submitted to the National Assembly to shift the sector toward a business-oriented model. This draft emphasizes member control, independence from aid, and the voluntary nature of these enterprises.
• The Institute for the Development of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IPA), created in 1992, is the primary body responsible for implementing the artisanal fisheries plan through training, credit facilities, and the promotion of co-operatives.
• The document suggests that formalising the informal fisheries sector is most effective when using 'carrots' rather than 'sticks'. The IPA's focus on soft loans and microfinance is cited as more successful than providing direct aid money, which often undermines sustainability.
• To bridge the gap between informal and formal institutions, the paper suggests building co-operatives upon existing informal mutual self-help structures, such as 'quixiquila' or 'solidarity clubs'.
• Angola's marine resources include pilchard, Cape and Cunene horse mackerel, and Sardinella. While biomass estimates between 1996 and 2003 indicated a general decline suggesting unsustainable catches, a separate study of the artisanal sector (2002-2005) showed more optimistic trends, though it noted difficulties in acquiring reliable data.

APA

du Preez, M.-L. (2009). Fishing for Sustainable Livelihoods in Angola: The Co-operative Approach. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Occasional-Paper-45.pdf

Chicago

du Preez, Mari-Lise. Fishing for Sustainable Livelihoods in Angola: The Co-operative Approach. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2009. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Occasional-Paper-45.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=du Preez |first1=Mari-Lise |title=Fishing for Sustainable Livelihoods in Angola: The Co-operative Approach |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=September 2009 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Occasional-Paper-45.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dupreez2009fishing, author = {du Preez, Mari-Lise}, title = {{Fishing for Sustainable Livelihoods in Angola: The Co-operative Approach}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2009}, month = sep, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Occasional-Paper-45.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }