Governance challenges for sustainable small-scale fisheries: creating synergies with marine conservation and tourism

The project is funded by the "Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain" and is a collaboration with University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain. First, It examines main challenges for sustainable small-scale fisheries, particularly those related to the valuation of its products, marine conservation, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), recreational use and development of coastal tourism, taking into account national and international policies.

Second, it explores governance strategies focused in promoting synergy creation between these fisheries, marine conservation and tourism, with particular attention to the analysis of the circumstances that may facilitate or impede the expansion of marine protected areas in the Spanish case, given the specificity of our institutional framework.

Third, it analyses European policies on artisanal fisheries, starting from the situation prior to the 2013 reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. This analysis should focus on the specificities of the new rules while at the same time taking into account national legislation (and its possible reform). In addition, the project examines the relevance and implementation of global instruments such as the "Voluntary Guidelines for sustainability of small-scale fisheries" and the "Voluntary Guidelines on responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests "of FAO.

Project leader NCFS: Professor Svein Jentoft.