Fisheries Sustainability through Soft Multi-Use Maritime Spatial Planning and Local Development Co-Management: Potentials and Challenges in Greece

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries in the Mediterranean represent a significant part of the fisheries industry and their substantial social, economic and place attachment related role has always been acknowledged in the region. Despite the fact that this usually family-based endeavor has a vast economic impact on coastal and island communities of the sea-basin, data and insights on the Mediterranean artisanal fisheries continue to be inadequately developed and poorly integrated in the local development strategies. Thus, the aim of this research is two-fold. Firstly, it presents some data and facts on the fisheries sector in the region and secondly it explores the options of their survival, prosperity and sustainability, approaching the combination of fisheries and tourism as a small-scale and soft “multi-use” in the marine space. Greece, with a huge potential in both the fisheries and the tourism sector, was used as focus area where a co-development process was designed aiming to identify advantages/potentials and challenges/disadvantages of the co-existence of artisanal fisheries and tourism, as perceived by a series of stakeholders including the co-management schemes (Fisheries Local Action Groups, FLAGs) in the country. Key conclusion is that sustainable livelihood from small-scale fisheries depends on the correlation between fisheries and other marine activities. Despite some limitations, this can boost sustainable local development and be a unique pattern of a “win-win” and soft multi-use marine spatial planning (MSP), with economic, environmental, social, cultural and governance related benefits for the coastal communities.

Marine Spatial Planning Connects Digital Technology, Excavation Equipment with Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things for Underwater Heritage Investigation

“…Grouping a total of 18 topics into 13 issues further gathered 13 issues into seven groups for conducting statistical summary and the Chi-Squared test whether the seven group results showed a signi cant difference from the UCH investigation. As a result, showing UCH investigation involves multifaceted issues, competent agents are consistent with Kyvelou & Ierapetritis (2020) view, relevant authorities ensure harmonization and integration of interests into multifaceted and competitive MSP procedure to manage con icting sea uses and creates synergies (Kyvelou & Ierapetritis, 2020). Therefore, the research produces the general standard operating procedures (SOP) and collaboration forming a One-Stop service for UCH investigation.…”

Fostering Spatial Efficiency in the Marine Space, in a Socially Sustainable Way: Lessons Learnt From a Soft Multi-Use Assessment in the Mediterranean

“…Fishing tourism, considerably developed over the last two decades in Italy, is now gaining ground in other Mediterranean locations as well. In Greece, although there are indications that fishing tourism is away from being fully guaranteed (Kyvelou and Ierapetritis, 2020), positive perspectives seem to be erased in the search to diversify the declining coastal SSF activity. According to the latest available data 2 , formally licensed fishers exerting fishing tourism activity in Greece amount to 155.…”

“…However, overfishing, in combination with competition with amateur and retired fishermen, reduced catches value, and loss of consumer purchasing power-due also to the economic crisis and the concurrent austerity measuresare factors that increasingly shrink fishing income and push Greek fishermen either to abandon the activity or to seek opportunities of alternative or supplementary income sources. For all these reasons, Greek fishers are gradually acknowledging that their fishing activity should be broadened by aiming on innovation and diversification (FARNET, 2011;Nicolosi et al, 2015;Kyvelou and Ierapetritis, 2020). This is besides a global trend consistent with gradually converting fisheries into tourism (European Parliament, 2016;Chen and Chang, 2017;Fabinyi, 2020).…”

“…In this context, the soft MU under study, whose potential was poorly assessed to date, is being in-depth examined in Greece with the aim to highlight its relevance as a socio-economic instrument (Kyvelou and Ierapetritis, 2020), providing an income stream for the fishers and the local community while preserving the environment and raising awareness on how to protect and safeguard the marine environment and the marine biodiversity.…”

Sustainable small-scale fisheries markets in the Mediterranean: weaknesses and opportunities

“…If a broader view of the markets is deployed to encompass not only seafood products but also other services small-scale fishers can perform, a rise of fishing tourism can be noted as a form of multi-use of the marine space (Guedri and Chakour 2015 ; Depellegrin et al 2019 ; Kyvelou and Ierapetritis 2020 ). Fishing tourism mostly develops, and is promoted, as an alternative income-generating activity for SSF, while it also contributes to the reduction of fishing pressure on the fishing resources.…”