Regional management of multi-species fisheries on the basis of shared stocks and property rights: a Mediterranean case

Fishery management is a complicated task that often results in overfishing, overcapacity, and low profits for the industry. The management of shared fish stocks is particularly problematic, especially if national authorities pursue different objectives. Multi-species fisheries add further complexity to the problem. It is no accident that management tools frequently used in Northern Europe, such as total allowable catches and individual quotas, are not applied in the Mediterranean Sea, where more target species are caught simultaneously. However, the European Commission intends to introduce a market-based driver for a strong, profitable fishing industry by phasing in transferable fishing concessions. This management approach is new for the Mediterranean, and it requires in-depth examination at institutional, legal, and economic levels. In this paper, after a review of the institutional setting, the economic perspective was analyzed by estimating the production function for the Italian small pelagic fishery in the Adriatic Sea. With the addition of Croatia to the European Union, the Adriatic Sea can become a Mediterranean communal exclusive fishing area. The results indicate that output measures such as total allowable catches and individual quotas should not cause serious discarding problems for this multi-species fishery

Individual transferable effort quotas for Italian fisheries? A preliminary analysis

In the context of transferable fishing concessions, the most well-known tool is probably the individual transferable quota, whereas the case of individual transferable effort quotas (ITEs) is much less often discussed. This study is the result of a project realized in collaboration with Italian fishery associations with the objective of evaluating, in a participatory framework, the possible consequences of the introduction of ITEs. A semi-quantitative survey was carried out over a sample of key stakeholders being experts of bottom trawling fisheries in the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas and the pelagic trawling fishery in the Adriatic Sea. The results and elaborations of the surveys were discussed and validated by a focus group composed of delegates of fishery associations. Two aspects were investigated: the relationships between fishing capacity (i.e. engine power and gross tonnage), fishing activity (i.e. fishing days and fishing hours), revenues, and variable costs (e.g. fuel) and the suitability of different proposals and alternative approaches for the introduction of ITEs. The participation of stakeholders allowed the building of some simple pedagogical tools based on realistic figures collected through the surveys that could be used by managers of associations, cooperatives, and producer organizations to better understand the functioning and possible consequences of ITEs schemes

Factors Influencing Consumption Intention of Insect-Fed Fish among Italian Respondents

The rise in the world’s demand for fish is increasingly met by aquaculture. However, this sector still shows various criticalities in terms of sustainability of practices, first and foremost, that of feed availability. Nowadays, the use of insect meal represents one of the potential sustainable solutions, but consumption intention of fish fed with insect meal and the factors affecting it have not yet been adequately understood. This study investigates 318 Italian consumers’ intentions to buy fish fed with insect meal using an extended version of the Theory of Planned Behavior, including consumers’ moral attitude and sustainability consciousness as additional constructs. The results of structural equation models show that consumers’ high sustainability consciousness (6.16 on a scale from 1 to 7) does not influence their consumption intention of this product. Also, the two moderating variables involved in the model, i.e., the country of origin and price sensitivity, do not significantly affect consumers’ intentions. Since the analysis demonstrates that, for consumers, insect meal-fed fish conforms to their moral principles and a significant positive attitude toward this practice it could be argued that fish fed with insect meal can match the demand from consumers who feel responsible for their consumer behavior. Although the limited area of investigations and the high education of interviewed do not allow for generalizing of the results, this paper provides pivotal food for thought for companies, policymakers, and academics responding to previous research calls on understanding the role of some constructs of consumption intention and highlighting the levers on which to act to foster the consumption intention of insect-fed fish

Consumer preferences and willingness to pay for clams with sustainability certification in Mediterranean countries

For some types of seafood, such as clams, there are now sustainability certificates that guarantee their sustainable production. However, their consumption may be associated with some ethical and sustainability concerns, as clams are harvested in ways that may be harmful to the environment. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate consumers’ sustainability concerns based on their purchasing preferences and WTP for clams with sustainability certification in three Mediterranean countries—Italy, Spain and Croatia. Data were collected online and consumer preferences were elicited using a labelled discrete choice experiment. The results show that in general all consumers prefer clams from their country of origin, while there are differences in their appreciation for the sustainability certification. While Croatian consumers are not very interested in the current Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification, consumers in Spain are willing to pay a higher price for it. At the same time, consumers in Italy are more interested in new certifications such as Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM). These results could be of interest to clam production and distribution companies trying to advance their corporate social responsibility activities and positioning

The comparative analysis of Mediterranean coastal communities: six case studies

The aim of this study is to promote cooperation and actions for the benefit of coastal communities on the Southern and Eastern shores of the Mediterranean region by adopting an approach that integrates environmental, economic and social dimensions. These areas are traditionally based on Fisheries, especially small-scale fisheries (SSFs), which contribute to strengthen social cohesion, in that the seafood value chains still represent the backbone of the coastal economy. The six coastal communities analysed in this paper are located in Algiers port - Casbah (Algeria), Marsa Matrouh (Egypt), Tricase (Italy), Tyre (Lebanon), Nador Lagoon (Morocco), Zarzis (Tunisia). Conclusions emphasise the need to develop a comprehensive reference system for dialogue, cooperation and capacity building both at national and regional level. The cluster approach can help create a favourable cooperation and competition environment, generating income and employment opportunities for local communities.Le but de cette \ue9tude est de promouvoir la coop\ue9ration et des actions en faveur des communaut\ue9s c\uf4ti\ue8res sur les rives Sud et Est de la M\ue9diterran\ue9e, en adoptant une approche qui int\ue8gre les dimensions environnementale, \ue9conomique et sociale. Cette r\ue9gion est traditionnellement ax\ue9e sur la p\ueache, et notamment la petite p\ueache, qui contribue \ue0 renforcer la coh\ue9sion sociale, car les cha\ueenes de valeur des produits de la mer constituent encore la colonne vert\ue9brale de l\u2019\ue9conomie c\uf4ti\ue8re. Les six communaut\ue9s c\uf4ti\ue8res examin\ue9es dans ce travail sont situ\ue9es \ue0 la Casbah- port d\u2019Alger (Alg\ue9rie), \ue0 Marsa Matrouh (Egypte), \ue0 Tricase (Italie), Tyre (Liban), dans la lagune de Nador (Maroc) et \ue0 Zarzis (Tunisie). Dans les conclusions, l\u2019accent est mis sur l\u2019importance de structurer un syst\ue8me de r\ue9f\ue9rence global pour encourager le dialogue, la coop\ue9ration et le d\ue9veloppement des capacit\ue9s \ue0 l\u2019\ue9chelle nationale et r\ue9gionale. Le mod\ue8le du cluster pourrait contribuer \ue0 cr\ue9er un environnement de coop\ue9ration et comp\ue9tition favorable, g\ue9n\ue9rant des revenus et des emplois au niveau des communaut\ue9s locales

Balancing environmental concerns and efficiency in Mediterranean fisheries: economics of production with a look at market trends

The fishing sector in the Adriatic Sea is exposed to stricter regulations due to the negative ecological impact of large-scale fisheries, while increasing socio-economic challenges threaten the profitability of the industry. We apply Stochastic frontier and Price formation analysis to the rapido fishery of Chioggia (Italy) in order to investigate potential strategies to enhance the economic performance of the fishery, considering both effort restrictions and market trends. The use of two different methodological approaches emphasizes the need for a comprehensive and flexible approach to fisheries management, taking into account seasonal fluctuations in efficiency and average prices. The results reveal that efficiency variations are significantly influenced by seasonal factors and stock availability, thus indicating a limited capacity of fishers to adapt to changing market conditions. We emphasize the importance of flexible scheduling of fishing days and discuss the opportunity for implementing mixed management systems incorporating a Total Allowable Catch or quotas

Small-scale fisheries in the Emilia-Romagna region: structural, social and market issues

Small-scale fisheries play an important role in the regional fishing industry of Emilia-Romagna, an Adriatic region located in the north-east of Italy. However, when comparing regional data with national averages, some peculiarities do emerge. To gain a deeper understanding of the situation of small-scale fisheries in the region, a survey has been performed through by interviewing a sample of fishers. This study is also focused on the added value issue. In fact, local fish products have low prices on the market; for this very reason, the regional public authority has been interested in creating a collective brand involving all stakeholders in the supply chain. The perspectives from the fishers and other parties regarding the potential offered by such a brand are discussed in this paper

Modellizzazione bioeconomica per la gestione dei piccoli pelagici nel Mar Adriatico

Stocks’ overexploitation and socio-economic sustainability are two major issues currently at stake in European fisheries. In this view the European Commission is considering the implementation of management plans as a means to move towards a longer-term perspective on fisheries management, to consider regional differences and to increase stakeholder involvement. Adriatic small pelagic species (anchovies and sardines) are some of the most studied species in the world from a biologic perspective; several economic analysis have also been realised on Italian pelagic fishery; despite that, no complete bioeconomic modelization has been carried out yet considering all biologic, technical and economic issues. Bioeconomic models cannot be considered foolproof tools but are important implements to help decision makers and can supply a fundamental scientific basis for management plans. This research gathers all available information (from biologic, technologic and economic perspectives) in order to carry out a bioeconomic model of the Adriatic pelagic fishery. Different approaches are analyzed and some of them developed to highlight potential divergences in results, characteristics and implications. Growth, production and demand functions are estimated. A formal analysis about interaction and competition between Italian and Croatian fleet is examined proposing different equilibriums for open access, duopoly and a form of cooperative solution. Anyway normative judgments are limited because of poor knowledge of population dynamics and data related to the Croatian fleet

Multifunctionality in fisheries and the provision of public goods

Multifunctionality is characterized by two key elements: the existence of jointly produced multiple commodity and non-commodity outputs (NCOs), and that NCOs exhibit the characteristics of public goods externalities. The term \u201cmultifunctionality\u201d is almost not used outside agriculture. However, several issues discussed in fishery literature and in international contexts clearly refer to public goods provision and joint production. The key point is to recognize if fisheries, similar to agriculture, provide other (public) benefits beyond their primary food supply function. The paper establishes a theoretical framework for the classification and valuation of multifunctionality in fisheries, and outlines policy options to increase (through multifunctionality) social welfare. NCOs include: ecosystem- and biodiversity-related NCOs, other environmental public goods/bads, cultural heritage and coastal viability, coastal employment externalities, food security, and strategic benefits. The main NCO characteristics to be analysed are the degree of jointness between commodity outputs and NCOs, and the distribution of property rights over fish stocks and NCOs. Policy options to increase social welfare include, among others, command and control schemes, market based instruments (e.g., payment for ecosystem services), and marine protected areas. Customary marine tenure institutions, or other modern fishery organizations, may represent a framework for the communitarian provision of NCOs. Fishery subsidies, which can because of overfishing, are justified if they allow increasing social benefits, given by the sum of catch and NCOs value. Particularly, incentives may be necessary to support small-scale fisheries or other less efficient technologies

Blue growth and ecosystem services

none2noThe recent years have witnessed a rise in interest in the ocean economy. To cover a more sustainable dimension, terms such as 'blue economy' and 'blue growth' have been coined, and are increasingly used in international contexts and academic literature. However, there are no generally accepted definitions of these 'blue' concepts. In particular, it is not clear what connotation of sustainability and what role of natural environment is linked to these terms. The objective of this study is to retrace the meaning of the concepts of blue economy and blue growth and include them in a coherent environmental accounting framework. Starting from the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting of the United Nations, a set of assumptions is proposed to link blue economy/growth and ecosystem services, including the creation of an adjusted measure of value added, while considering the depletion and degradation of the environment and the value of non-market benefits provided by the ecosystem. Finally, an example of this approach in the case of the Mediterranean Sea is presented.noneMulazzani, Luca; Malorgio, GiulioMulazzani, Luca; Malorgio, Giuli