The aquatic environment, and the livelihoods it sustains, are of enormous relevance for the economic and environmental prosperity of Cabo Verde. The linkage between ecological health and economic prosperity is well established, and aquaculture plays a vital role in growing the blue economy. Cabo Verde’s maritime exclusive economic zone has around 700 thousand square kilometres, and its sustainable development requires a forward-thinking roadmap to develop and sustain aquaculture activities.
The Cabo Verde Aquaculture Atlas had the aim of building a world-class governance structure for aquaculture to grow, based on an ecosystem approach to aquaculture while promoting food security and contributing towards the development of the blue economy. The cloud-based Cabo Verde Aqua (CVA) (https://www.cva.blue/ ) improves decision making to ensure the sustainable management of oceanic resources, placing aquaculture areas as the foundation for sustainable protein and the protection of ecosystems. The Atlas allows exploring onshore and offshore aquaculture areas across Cabo Verde’s archipelago, displaying suitable highly suitable and moderately suitable areas for aquaculture development. CVA advocates smart, science-based spatial planning for aquaculture and the blue economy paving the way for a vibrant and sustainable future.