Strong climate legislation and public behaviour change – the role of communication

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ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF FISHERIES EXCLUSION ZONES: A SICILIAN CASE STUDY

Spatial approaches to fisheries management in the form of total or partial exclusion zones have attracted much interest in recent years, though relatively little is known in practice about how such measures impact fishermen or other groups of stakeholders. The present paper hopes to shed light on this issue by reporting the results of a recently completed EU project investigating the effects of a trawl ban introduced in the Gulf of Castellammare, NW Sicily, in 1990. The results indicate that the prohibition on trawling led to stock recovery and improved financial returns for the artisanal fishermen who have been permitted to operate within the restricted area. There is evidence, however, that the displacement of trawlers to the outer periphery of the exclusion zone has impacted adversely on artisanal operators located immediately outside the trawl ban area.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Stakeholder analysis in the portuguese artificial reef context: winners and losers

Nesta análise de intervenientes relativa ao programa de recifes artificiais (RAs) localizado na costa do Algarve (Sul de Portugal continental) foram identificados 21 grupos de atores distintos. Os intervenientes foram classificados em 3 grupos: primários, secundários e externos. Verificou-se que o interesse dos intervenientes face às estruturas recifais (interação) pode ser do tipo privado, público ou cooperativo. Na análise foram identificados os impactos do projeto sobre os intervenientes e o poder destes para influenciar os resultados do programa recifal. Foram definidas quais as interações e possíveis atitudes e comportamento dos intervenientes em relação aos RAs. Finalmente, todos os grupos de intervenientes foram classificados de acordo com o grau de envolvimento esperado ao longo das diferentes fases do programa recifal. O propósito desta análise de intervenientes foi identificar ganhadores e perdedores relacionados com a criação dos recifes artificiais. Verificou-se que a maioria dos grupos de intervenientes pode ser afetado positivamente, mas existem quatro grupos supostamente afetados negativamente. Contudo, acredita-se que estes últimos não constituem um risco sério ao desenvolvimento do programa recifal no decurso do seu tempo de vida.In this stakeholder analysis related to the artificial reef (AR) program located in the Algarve (Southern Portugal mainland) 21 different stakeholder clusters were identified. Stakeholders were classified as primary, secondary and external. It was found that stakeholder interaction with the structures can be of private, public or cooperative interest. In the analysis there were also identified and mapped the impact of the program on stakeholders and their power to influence the ARs' outcomes. Stakeholders' interactions with the ARs were studied, along with their likely attitudes and behavior towards the man-made structures. Finally, all stakeholder clusters were classified according to their expected degree of involvement throughout the different AR stages. The purpose of this stakeholder analysis was to find out winners and losers connected with the reef deployment. It was found that most stakeholder clusters were affected positively, but also four clusters affected negatively. However, it is believed that those that may be affected negatively do not pose a serious threat to the expected AR development along its lifetime

Economic Performance of Fishers: Stochastic or Chaotic?

Economic performance of different fleet segments varies considerably from year to year, with some segments experiencing increased profitability while others experience decreased profitability. This variation is generally considered to be a consequence of the stochasticity in the industry. However, there is growing evidence that fisheries may not be as stochastic as generally thought. In this paper, a spatial bioeconomic model is developed of a multi-species multi-gear fishery, which assumes individual profit maximising behaviour. It is shown that inter-annual variations in profits are a function of the spatial behaviour of the fishers, which tends to vary chaotically over time.Keywords: Economic performance, chaos, bioeconomic model, spatial mode

Marine Habitat Modification Through Artificial Reefs: an Economic Analysis of the Coastal Fisheries of the Algarve, Southern Portugal

Marine habitats and the fisheries they support may be modified through the use of human-made physical structures placed in the sea. These structures ('artificial reefs') serve a variety of functions, ranging from the traditional practice of food production to newer applications which include mariculture, tourism and resource conservation. The presentation examines the use and potential of artificial reefs, focussing on their role in sustaining coastal fisheries. A range of economic benefits are attributable to artificial reefs, and empirical evidence relating to the performance of the artificial reef system in the Algarve (southern Portugal) is used to demonstrate their potential to increase fishing incomes and to contribute positively to the economy of the region. To ensure that these benefits are captured, however, a clear exploitation strategy is needed in order to control harvesting activity around the reefs and to prevent overfishing. It is argued that, without such a strategy, the economic benefits may prove unsustainable in the long run

Aquaculture in the Coastal Zone: Pressures, Interactions and Externalities

Aquaculture worldwide has grown rapidly, and while this has brought socio-economic benefits to particular regions there is persistent concern over its environmental impact and sustainability. Within Europe there are quite marked regional variations in the intensity of marine aquaculture, and the fact that this occurs in areas where there is already pressure on coastal resources from competing activities suggests that the scope for conflict is considerable. In this presentation, the DPSIR (Driving forces - Pressure - State - Impact - Response) framework is used to explore the issues and to suggest policy solutions. It is argued that the way institutions (government agencies, firms, consumers) respond to the externalities of aquaculture will depend on the information they receive; if that information is inadequate or unbalanced, wrong decisions will be made. These considerations underscore the important role of performance indicators, chosen and constructed so that unbiased and essential information on aquaculture can be communicated to all interested stakeholders and decision-makers