Guardians of the Sea: Cape Verde’s ‘fish detectives’ try to keep extinction at bay

As boats from bigger islands flock to fish off Maio, locals take turns to safeguard their pristine waters

Older fishermen such as Boaventura Martins, 60, have noticed the fish have not only become more scarce, but smaller. Some species have disappeared, he says.

On a good day, Martins will catch 10kg (22lb) of fish, which is barely enough to cover his fuel costs. When he began fishing 40 years ago, he would bring home hundreds of kilos - enough to give away part of his catch to his community on the island of Maio in the Cape Verde archipelago, off the west African coast. He would throw back the small fish.