Staff from the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) are set to release thousands of fish grown in captivity in an effort to boost the populations of those species that are popular with small-scale fishermen off the Algarve coastline.
The restocking operation will take place on Thursday 6 August when about 25,000 juvenile sea bream and sea bass will be set free from aquaculture facilities into the sea, south of the island of Armona in the Ria Formosa.
The release area, where fishing is banned, has an artificial reef and mussel and oyster beds all of which will provide shelter and protection for the fish as well as a source of natural food while they grow to maturity.
The success of the restocking of those fish species for which there is a high demand, and hence high prices, "may significantly contribute to the balanced exploitation of fishery resources, to promote the socio-economic sustainability of the small-scale fishing fleet and the consequent increase in income from this important activity for local fishing communities" according to the IPMA's snappy statement.
