Enclosure within a Closed Sea? The Fisheries against theCommonsin the Republic of Venice in the Eighteenth Century

Abstract

This article will analyse the role of the authorities in the progressive restriction on the use of aquatic spaces and maritime resources in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in the laguna of Venice. The tensions between private and common uses of the territory was an age-old problem that had not begun towards the end of the early modern period. However, during this period, the growth in fishing activities augmented the role of the fish farms called valli da pesca, which was vehemently opposed by the Venetian fishermen whose different communities used the laguna for their own activities. This restructuring of the space could be termed an enclosure, which meant that access to spaces and resources was restricted. In return, this movement modified the organisation of these activities profoundly, not only socially and politically, but also economically and ecologically. Thus, by creating a more productive system, the Venetian authorities played a key role in the metamorphosis and development of this area, on one hand protecting the fishing communities and their activities in the laguna while on the other, supporting the fishing sector to become more efficient and productive.