Present and future status of artisanal fisheries in the Adriatic Sea (western Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract

Artisanal fisheries represents an important source of employment and income for many Mediterranean coastal communities, as well as an important cultural and traditional identity factor at a regional level. However, despite its importance, it is generally under-studied, in both ecological and socio-economic terms, so hampering the chance of developing sustainable and integrated management measures. At present, on the West coast of the Adriatic Sea, within the three-mile area, artisanal fisheries and hydraulic dredging are the only approved commercial fishing activities. This study confirmed the importance of the artisanal fisheries in this area, representing a multitarget and multigear activity. Despite the 39 exploited species, however, we found high vulnerability both for species (76% of total catches depend upon only three species—cuttlefish, mantis shrimp, and sole) and thermal affinity groups (cold and temperate species contributed to the entire catches). Furthermore, our data showed that fishing effort and CPUE values were greater than those reported at the regional level, and also indicated that the discard rate was lower than in other Adriatic areas. Regarding ecological effects, the two trophodynamic indicators that we applied showed a sustainable situation, but scenarios of possible changes in environmental or fishing effort conditions highlighted the proximity of the stock to the unsustainability threshold. Our findings suggest the need for an adequate management strategy to cope with possible future changes in population boundaries and conditions.