Issues In Mediterranean Fisheries Management

The application of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in the Mediterranean and Black Sea faces several challenges also because of large ecological, economic, political and institutional differences across the basin. The challenge of CFP application is exacerbated by the legal/administrative situation, with large areas outside national/EU jurisdictions, by the different development of fisheries that result in fleet capacities highly different on opposite shores of some sub-basins, as well as by uneven monitoring and data availability across the basins that result in situations that hamper sustainable management. This book collates analyses related to the application of the principles included in the CFP in Mediterranean and Black Sea, including assessments of current status, scenario analyses, visions of best solutions, evaluation of critical hot spots and effects of regionalization of fisheries management. The eBook tackles from local to transboundary issues and solutions and provides a broad vision of problems together with important practical solutions for CFP application in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

This publication considers issues related to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Mediterranean region, for discussion at the 28th session of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean held in Tangiers, Morocco in October 2003. Topics examined include the role of regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), management of fishing capacity, especially as contained in International Plans of Action (IPOAs), the adoption of national plans of action (NPOAs), and the activities of the EU Fisheries Council on IUU fishing.

In the last decades, the human harvesting of marine resources became more efficient as the understanding of the habits and behaviours of the various species available in the sea gradually increased. Technologies naturally developed over time and fishing systems became more sophisticated and increasingly adapted to catch the most desirable species and sizes. This evolution is still in progress and technological development goes on especially in the Mediterranean area, where small and relatively old fishing vessels are traditionally used. These technical advances in fishing gears have generally led to more efficient fishing operations and improved access to resources and fishing grounds. On the other hand, general awareness on the environmental problems due to the exploitation of fisheries resources has also increased. Therefore, in order to preserve fishery resources and marine environments, fishing gears and their impacts need to be further investigated and less impacting techniques should be developed. In this regard, fishing technologists are responsible to provide fishery managers as well as fishermen and stakeholders, with useful advice and technical solutions for mitigating adverse impacts of fishing gears. By taking these problems into account, the book contents are based on the requirements of ecosystem-approach to fisheries management. The Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries of the FAO (1995) encouraged the use of selective, environmentally safe and cost effective gear and techniques. Thus the book aims at providing information on sustainable fishing technologies, and transfers the expertise on fishing technology to Mediterranean fisheries scientists and end-users such as fisheries managers, administrators, controllers etc. This book is structured to provide information on fishing gear technology, selectivity, bycatch-impact reduction and fishing vessel technology, with particular attention to the Mediterranean context. The information included might be used to learn how to assess the impacts and selectivity of different fishing gears and find technical solutions to mitigate these impacts and to address scientific studies. Furthermore, advices on the properties of fishing vessels affecting energy efficiency have been also considered in order to address possible technical changes to the currents boats. Finally the contents of this book might be considered as a useful tool when preparing management measures as well as for the establishment, enforcement or improvement of fishing rules.

FAO has promoted the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) as an appropriate framework for the sustainable development and management of fisheries worldwide. With a view to contribute to the identification of lessons and good practices for EAF implementation, this publication documents nine case studies that attempted to put into practice some of the key principles and tools of the approach in the Mediterranean Sea. The case studies were selected to cover a broad range of contexts including smallscale and industrial fisheries operating at local, national and sub-regional scales. It was not within the scope of the publication to evaluate the level of implementation of the ecosystem approach. A specific tool for monitoring implementation is proposed and exemplified. Case studies were analysed with a view to draw preliminary lessons regarding the enabling factors that facilitated the progress made as well as the challenges faced in the transition towards EAF-based management systems. Attention is drawn to key enabling conditions such as favourable policies, legislation and regulatory frameworks, the existence of regional mechanisms for cooperation, favourable market dynamics and social processes, and the relatively low complexity of the fishery systems analysed. A set of factors emerged that contributed to progress during implementation, such as the clear definition of fishing rights, the enhancement of mechanisms for compliance, scientific monitoring and adaptation of management measures, as well as the explicit consideration of biological and socioeconomic aspects in management actions. Further progress in the transition towards sustainable management systems is hampered by external and internal factors. External factors are related, for instance, to environmental changes, the poor regulation and control of competing sectors, consumer behaviour and the governance environment. Issues such as stakeholder representation, knowledge gaps and the availability of sustainable sources of funding are among common internal factors. The authors also discuss how slow progress in the implementation of management plans can generate discredit with the institutions and add additional challenges for any future initiatives to engage stakeholders in participatory management. The case-based results and lessons of how the ecosystem approach to fisheries was considered, developed and implemented in the fisheries discussed in this publication not only contribute to the documentation of current practices in the Mediterranean but may also guide future attempts to further develop the field.

Marine recreational fisheries are an integral part of Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal life and are commonly practiced throughout the region. Recreational fisheries also represent an important driver of coastal tourism, which constitutes one of the region’s most important maritime sectors in terms of gross value added and employment. However, despite their ubiquity and potential socio-economic contribution, recreational fisheries are a data-poor sector and can vary widely from one country to another, thus impairing proper consideration of the recreational fisheries sector in policy-making and undermining efforts towards sustainable fisheries management at the regional level. The main goal of this handbook is therefore to provide a clear methodological framework to allow Mediterranean and Black Sea countries to implement suitably harmonized sampling and survey monitoring schemes for recreational fisheries. This handbook establishes a minimum set of necessary information for monitoring recreational fisheries, while, at the same time, allowing for flexibility to accommodate national specificities and data collection needs. It also provide guidance on the data analysis process as well as advice to successfully engage stakeholders in the data collection process.

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This third edition of the State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries provides a comprehensive overview of the status of fisheries in the region, looking at their main features and trends, in order to better inform their management and better examine current and future challenges that they will face in the near future. The aim of this report is to produce a document that could provide useful analysis and direction for decision-making and future action. In this respect, this publication also represents a convenient source of information for the FAO Committee on Fisheries and offers a practical complement to the data provided in the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture published by the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department. This volume includes seven chapters divided into two sections: a first part on the status and trends of different aspects of Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries, including fleet, catches, socio-economic variables and bycatch, and a second part that focuses on the management of Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries, including an overview on small-scale fisheries. This report is based to a large extent on the most up-to-date data available submitted by GFCM contracting and cooperating non-contracting parties, including information on stock status, national catches, fleet and socio-economic information up to 2018. It is also complemented with information from other sources.