20.04.2023 Author: Marta Novara

CABFISHMAN: managing fisheries better.

Conserving Atlantic biodiversity by supporting innovative small scale fisheries co-management

Small-scale fisheries are a key sector of many Northeast Atlantic fleets and are receiving growing attention as part of the Common Fisheries Policy reform and Maritime Spatial Planning initiatives. It is important to invest in the  improvement of available knowledge of small-scale fisheries to secure their sustainable development.

The CABFISHMAN  project aims at improving the sustainable development of small-scale fisheries in the Atlantic Area. The project promotes an ecosystem-sensitive approach to the management of small-scale fisheries and encourages collaboration between stakeholders, including fishers, managers, government officials, and scientists.

To enhance knowledge of best-practice methods of data collection in small-scale fisheries, CABFISHMAN produced a comprehensive overview of the various methodologies, census, and sampling approaches available for use, with an evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of each, and recommendations for best practices.

The project also developed an operational tool to assess the impact of small-scale fishing gear on the marine environment, taking into account physical, biological, and chemical issues. Moreover, estimations of the net economic value and the carbon footprint spatial distribution across small-scale fishing grounds have been produced.

A multidisciplinary team gathered data on small-scale fisheries cultural heritage in France, Ireland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Spain, registering a total of 1,233 references and documents, including printed materials, films/videos, web pages, inventories, leaflets, posters, etc. A method for valuing all these previous cultural heritage elements was developed based on more than 3,000 surveys.

A decision support tool for final users was created to simulate the effects on the fish provisioning value, the carbon footprint changes and the cultural heritage value of different management interventions  (economic promotion, carbon neutrality, minimization of marine impacts, management mode changes, among others).

All this new knowledge was updated and mapped and shared on the small-scale fisheries platform using an open access, online Geotool for use by final stakeholders (NGOs, fisheries stakeholders, policy makers, …).

By proposing measures for the implementation of an ecosystem approach to small-scale fisheries, CABFISHMAN is contributing to the goals of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, the Common Fishery Policy, the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive and the Maritime Strategy for the Atlantic Area, among others. This project is essential for the protection of the marine environment and resources in the Atlantic Area, and it promotes sustainable development in the small-scale fisheries sector.

CABFISHMAN is developed by representatives from 28 partners  from 15 regions. The project is led by Fundación AZTI - AZTI Fundazioa (ES) and has a total budget: 2.48 M€ until 2023.

Published on: 2023-04-20