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Sustainable Fishing and Aquaculture Activities in the Atlantic Coast of the Portuguese North Region: Multi-Stakeholder Views as a Tool for Maritime Spatial Planning

Sustainability

Abstract:

This study provides an assessment of the sustainable development of fishing and aquaculture based on the Portuguese North Region case study. The paper stresses the importance of stakeholders' views in the MSP process. Considering the regional circumstances defined by a decreased fishing production and scarce aquaculture weight, the stakeholders highlighted great difficulties on the part of public administration to implement official management objectives.

Sea Basin(s):
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Atlantic Ocean
Country:
Portugal
Application in MSP:
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Unknown effect
Sectors:
sek_aquaculture_rgb Created with Sketch.
Marine aquaculture
sek_fishery_rgb Created with Sketch.
Fishing
Type of Issue:
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Coexistence of uses
req_economic_rgb Created with Sketch.
Economic aspects
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Stakeholders
Type of practice:
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Study
Stage of MSP cycle:
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Vision and aims
Cross-border / trans-national aspect:
No
Coherence with other processes:
Common Fisheries Policy
Key words:
Maritime Spatial Planning
Portuguese North Region
fisheries
Aquaculture
stakeholder
Source / Links:

Salas-Leiton, E.; Vieira, L.R.; Guilhermino, L. Sustainable Fishing and Aquaculture Activities in the Atlantic Coast of the Portuguese North Region: Multi-Stakeholder Views as a Tool for Maritime Spatial Planning. Sustainability 2021, 13, 663.

Questions this practice may help answer:

  • How can the experienced view of stakeholders improve the MSP process?
  • What is the current state of fisheries and aquaculture in the Portuguese North Region?
  • What synergies and conflicts exist between fisheries and aquaculture in the Portuguese North Region?
  • What are the development possibilities for each activity?

Implementation Context:

This study was drafted in the framework of the ECOAST project which aimed to identify, develop, and test new methodologies for spatial and temporal management of fisheries and aquaculture in coastal areas.

Aspects / Objectives:

This study assesses the potentials and limitations that result from fisheries and aquaculture development in the Atlantic coast of the Portuguese North Region.

Method:

The study is based on a review of Portuguese MSP strategies and legal framework and on statistical data on regional fisheries and aquaculture. The perceptions of involved stakeholders were collected through a survey and a subsequent workshop.

Main Outputs / Results:

The study highlights key issues that may promote or hinder the development of both activities in the Portuguese North Region. The authors also provide recommendations.

Transferability:

This practice focuses on Portuguese North Region studied in the framework of the ECOAST project. The results of the study are thus not transferable. 

Responsible Entity:

Laboratory of Ecotoxicology and Ecology, Department of Population Studies, ICBAS-UP—Institute of Biomedical Sciences of Abel Salazar, University of Porto (Portugal).

Costs / Funding Source:

This research was carried out in the scope of the EU COFASP project titled “ECOAST - New methodologies for an ecosystem approach to spatial and temporal management of fisheries and aquaculture in coastal areas”. The Portuguese component of the project was funded by “Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.” (national funds, “Orçamento do Estado” reference COFASP/0001/2015). E. Salas-Leiton and L.R. Vieira had post-doc fellowships in the scope of the project. The APC was funded by the Laboratory of Ecotoxicology and Ecology, Department of Population Studies, ICBAS-UP.

Contact person:

Emilio Salas-Leiton: ealeitonaticbas.up.pt (ealeiton[at]icbas[dot]up[dot]pt)