Sport Fishing

Project BRA/97/012 -- Start Year: 1997; Approved Budget: US$ 3,004,247; End Year: 2002; Implementing Agent: NEX (National Execution Related Projects); Executing Agent:Ministry of the Environment, Water Resources and Legal Amazon -- MMA; Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources -- IBAMA; Brazilian Tourism Company - EMBRATUR

Project background and rationale: Brazil presents a high potential in developing Sport Fishing in practically all its regions due to their high level of biodiversity and quality of ichthyofauna. However,despite growing interest in sport fishing activities, this potential is not fully exploited due to the lack of organizational efforts and adequate infrastructure. Once well structured and administered, sport fishing could play an important role in the socioeconomic development of the inhabitants of river and coastal areas, generating job opportunities and a need for specialized manpower. Therefore, Sport Fishing can contribute, significantly, to the improvement of living conditions, as well as raising general awareness of the need to preserve the environment.

Project development goal: This project aims at transforming Sport Fishing into an instrument of economic and social development, as well as of environmental conservation.

Project immediate objectives and expected outputs: To attain this objective, efforts will begin through:

1. The organization of the activity, i.e. by perfecting legal instruments;

2. The improvement of control and enforcement of fishing regulations;

3. The inclusion of the activity in development plans and programmes at the federal, state and municipal levels; The intensificationof environmental education activities.

The project's main expected outputs are:

1. Improved Sport Fishing legislation, based on specific legal instruments for Sport Fishing made compatible at the level of the hydrographic basin and coastal zone;

2. Sport fishermen and riverine/coastal population involved with the protection and conservation of the natural resources ofthe fishing sites;

3. An increased capability for control and inspection of natural resource utilization at the fishing sites;

4. Management instruments and Sport Fishing modalities evaluated through pilot projects;

5. Sport Fishing Activities characterized at the national level;

6. The public and private sectors technically and financially involved in the sustainable development of Sport Fishing;

7. Information on technological, environmental and tourist aspects related to Sport Fishing available to users;

8. Experience of countries, in which Sport Fishing Play and important role in the economy, adapted to the situation in Brazil.

Contact details: EMBRATUR - Instituto Brasileiro de Turismo, Setor Comercial Norte Quadra 02 Bloco "G", Brasília - DF - CEP 70.712-907, Brazil, Phone: (55 61) 429-7777,Fax: (55 61) 429-7910; Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Esplanada dos Ministérios, Bloco B, 6º andar, sala 637, 70069-900 - Brasília – DF, Brazil; IBAMA - Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis, SAIN L4 Norte Ed. Sede do IBAMA Bloco C sala 132, 70.800-200 - Brasília – DF, Brazil, Phone: (55 61) 316-1239.