11.1 Cape Verde Division
11.2 Sherbro Division
To compare the state of exploitation of the various stocks in the two divisions, the following classifications have been used (Table 9).
Table 9 Classification used for expressing the state of exploitation of the various stocks
|
Catch/Maximum potential (%) |
State of stocks |
State of exploitation |
|
0 |
Virgin |
0 |
|
0-50 |
Moderately exploited |
1 |
|
50-80 |
Intensively exploited |
2 |
|
80-100 |
Fully exploited |
3 |
|
<100 and F>Fmax.pot. |
Over exploited |
4 |
This division comprises the shelf areas off southern Mauritania, Senegambia, Guinea and Guinea Bissau. Based on Japanese and Polish catch/effort data the potential catch of demersal fish stocks of this division as a whole has been estimated between 150 000 and 180 000 tons, excluding Brachydeuterus auritus. With a mean total catch of about 150 000 for the period 1970-1971, the demersal stocks in this sector are probably fully exploited.
Before 1972 certain species were discarded by the Japanese and Polish fleets, but after that date less fish were discarded as imports of fish in countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea expanded. Data posterior to that date on nominal catch/effort of the Japanese and Polish fleets were therefore not used in the assessment. According to Domain (in press), the Brachydeuterus auritus potential for this division could be of the order of 50 000 tons. The species is not marketed as yet. Catch are believed to be relatively small and, conseguently, its rate of exploitation is probably moderate. Domain (in press) arrives to the conclusion that seabreams and tongue soles are fully exploited at present. Because of the insufficient information on total catches, the group was unable to assess the state of the demersal stocks distributed off Guinea and Guinea Bissau. According to the information presented by Zupanovic, a minimum figure for the demersal catches made off Guinea would be 20 000 tons. This figure is probably an underestimate. When one compares it to the overall potential estimate of between 40 000 and 60 000 tons, one reaches the preliminary conclusion that the demersal stocks in this sector may be still moderately exploited.
A potential of about 40 000 tons has been estimated for this division. Because of lack of data on the total catch, it has not been possible to evaluate the state of exploitation.
Table 10 State of exploitation of demersal resources in the Cape Verde and Sherbro Divisions of CECAF
|
Sector |
Stocks |
Principal fishing countries |
Annual catches in tons |
Potential in tons |
State of exploitation |
|||
|
|
|
|
1969 |
1973 |
1974 |
1976 |
|
|
|
Cape Verde coastal without the shelf off Guinea and Guinea
Bissau |
Totala Demersal |
Senegal |
120 000 |
226 400 |
211 700 |
- |
150 000-130 000 |
3 |
|
|
Brachydeuterus auritusb |
Incidentally caught NOT MARKETED |
50 000 |
? |
||||
|
|
Tongue solesb |
Senegal Ivory Coast |
|
3 300 |
3 100 |
|
3 000 |
3 |
|
|
Sea breamsb |
Senegal Japan Italy U.S.S.R. |
- |
73 600 |
55 500 |
- |
70 000 |
3 |
|
Guinea |
Total demersalc species exploited by trawlers and
canoes |
Guinea U.S.S.R. Greece |
- |
- |
- |
20 000 |
40 000 - 60 000 |
1 |
|
Guinea Bissau |
Total demersald stocks |
Guinea Bissau U.S.S.R. Ghana |
- |
- |
- |
- |
50 000-80 000 |
? |
|
Sherbro Division |
Total demersal stocks |
Ivory Coast Liberia Sierra Leone Spain U.S.S.R. |
500 |
2 700 |
2 700 |
- |
40 000 |
? |
a Disregarding Brachydeuterus auritus and discards. Japanese and Polish data used
b According to Domain (in press)
c Catches of trawlers and canoes supplied by Zupanovic. Statistics not complete according to Zupanovic
d Catches of Guinea Bissau unknown
? Unknown
