Can Fishing Tourism Contribute to Conservation and Sustainability via Ecotourism? A Case Study of the Fishery for Giant African Threadfin Polydactylus quadrifilis on the Kwanza Estuary, Angola

Edward C. Butler, Amber-Robyn Childs, Andrea Saayman and Warren M. Potts
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Edward C. Butler: Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape 6139, South Africa
Amber-Robyn Childs: Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape 6139, South Africa
Warren M. Potts: Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape 6139, South Africa

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-23

Abstract: It has been suggested that tourism fisheries can raise the value of landed catch, provide alternative livelihoods for local artisanal fishers and, because recreationally caught fishes are often released, simultaneously conserve stocks. However, for fishing tourism to meet ecotourism standards, sustainable, local economic benefit is imperative. This study aimed to assess the direct economic contribution of the recreational fishery for Polydactylus quadrifilis on the Kwanza Estuary, Angola. The recreational fishery contributed significantly to economic productivity in an otherwise rural area, generating a total revenue (TR) of $236,826 per four-month fishing season. Based on TR, P. quadrifilis was 3.6–32.6 times more valuable than the same fish caught and sold in the artisanal sector. However, high rates of economic leakage (86.1% of local TR) reduced the value of recreationally caught fish to below that of artisanally caught fish. Important sources of economic leakage were via the non-local sourcing of lodge supplies, services and staff and through the repatriation of profits. Capacity building within the local community is suggested to reduce leakages and to create ‘linkages’ with the recreational fishery. Greater community involvement, including the provision of business shares and greater communication and control, is suggested to achieve sustainability and incentivise the protection of recreationally important fishery species.

Keywords: tourism fisheries; ecotourism; economics; social–ecological systems (SESs); fisheries management; livelihoods; recreational-to-commercial ratio (RCR) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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