Santa Catarina made substantial strides in 2025 to reinforce its fishing and aquaculture sectors, led by the Executive Secretariat for Aquaculture and Fisheries (SAQ). The state government launched Pescados SC, a R$100 million package of incentives that combines finance, infrastructure, innovation and direct support for producers. The programme aims to strengthen both artisanal and industrial production while advancing sustainability along the coast.
Santa Catarina aquaculture gains major investment
Pescados SC delivered immediate measures in 2025, including distribution of despesca kits for fish farms and tractors for artisanal fishers. The state also rolled out Pronampe Aquaculture and Fisheries, a zero-interest credit line designed to improve access to finance for fishers and aquaculturists, helping with working capital, modernisation and longer-term capitalisation of the sector.
Operational costs were targeted through tax relief. Nearly 500 fishing vessels benefited from diesel with reduced ICMS, easing fuel expenses and supporting thousands of direct jobs. The government also granted an ICMS exemption for the seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii to encourage mariculture diversification and to nurture emerging value chains linked to the blue economy and marine bioeconomy.
Measures to improve safety at sea were central to the year’s programme. The Pesca Bem Segura project will provide 2,500 geolocation safety devices for licensed professional vessels up to 15 AB, integrated with AIS and monitored by the Santa Catarina Military Fire Brigade. In a further investment in maritime safety, the state signed a R$14 million contract to acquire a modern search and rescue vessel that will be operated by the Brazilian Navy and support emergency response for coastal communities.
Production indicators were strong. The 2025 mullet (tainha) catch exceeded 2,500 tonnes, signalling resilience across artisanal and industrial fisheries. The state successfully negotiated an additional 150 tonnes for its beach trawl quota following a federal conciliation hearing, avoiding a historic closure of a traditional fishery.
Regulatory work advanced with stakeholder input. SAQ issued rules governing the use of the feiticeira net and set conditions for artisanal white and pink shrimp fishing in coastal bays of Florianópolis. The state defined a minimum capture size for burriquete (miraguaia) based on technical reports and monitoring data and established a working group to create regulations for swordfish and catfish fisheries drawing on government, industry and scientific expertise.
Sanitary protection of local production was also reinforced. Authorities limited the import and sale of Vietnamese tilapia in Santa Catarina as a precautionary measure to protect the state’s sanitary status. Monitoring of bivalve molluscs was intensified and authorities launched an SMS alert service for shellfish producers to receive rapid microbiological and phycotoxin test results.
Institutional support rounded out the year’s efforts. The SAQ coordinated identity document drives for artisanal fishers to improve access to public programmes and began implementing research projects funded through FAPESC to develop native marine fish aquaculture with R$1.8 million in applied research investment. A separate R$4.7 million programme, in partnership with Epagri, expanded technical assistance, applied research and scientific infrastructure for the sector.
Collectively, these measures position Santa Catarina as a national reference in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, combining financial support, regulatory clarity, safety improvements and scientific investment to bolster coastal livelihoods and productive sovereignty.
Key Takeaways:
- R$100 million Pescados SC programme to support Santa Catarina aquaculture and fisheries.
- Zero-interest Pronampe line, diesel ICMS cuts and ICMS exemption for Kappaphycus to lower costs and spur diversification.
- Safety and sanitation measures include 2,500 geolocators, a R$14 million rescue vessel and enhanced mollusc monitoring.
