Sustainable Fishing and Aquaculture Activities in the Atlantic Coast of the Portuguese North Region: Multi-Stakeholder Views as a Tool for Maritime Spatial Planning

Abstract

The experienced view of stakeholders is a very valuable tool to build inclusive and reliable maritime spatial planning (MSP). Within this context, the present work assesses the potential and limitations for a further sustainable development of fishing and aquaculture activities, considering the Portuguese North Region as case study. The official strategies and legal framework drafted by Portugal in MSP issues were initially reviewed, with the corresponding management objectives identified. Official statistical data were used to show the current situation of regional fishery and aquaculture, while the perceptions of involved groups were collected by a methodology based in a multi-stakeholder survey and subsequent workshop. Taking into account the regional circumstances defined by a decreased fishing production (decline of 45.9% during the period of 2012–2019) and scarce aquaculture weight (≤1% in terms of national production in 2018), the stakeholders brought to light great difficulties on the part of public administration to implement official management objectives. The stakeholders also considered that conflicts between maritime activities are almost inexistent at present, even though they predicted future disagreements when new players intend to use maritime space. A positive response about a successful future for aquaculture was obtained from every group surveyed, although the specialized stakeholders pointed out severe limitations for a further development of both off-shore and extensive coastal aquaculture modalities. In conclusion, it seems evident there is the need for a fluent collaboration with the regional fishing stakeholder, particularly promoting synergies involving small scale fleets, in order to avoid future potential conflicts. Against the challenges and limitations posed by the aquaculture industry, promoting the intensive cultivation of high commercial value fish and new interest local species, when conducted under sustainable practices that add value to the harvested product, would be an interesting strategy to implement in our case study.

Sustainability of the Portuguese North-Western Fishing Activity in the Face of the Recently Implemented Maritime Spatial Planning

“…It is also interesting to highlight the high relevance assigned to the sustainability of environmental resources, adequately identifying potential negative impacts such as water pollution, climate change, and marine litter. These results agree with perceptions recently expressed in a multi-stakeholder survey also conducted in the Portuguese north-western region, in which the fishery stakeholders showed a similar discrepancy with regards to the government management, as well as the existing legal framework and the planning tools, but were aware of major environmental issues [13]. The involvement of stakeholders must constitute a key element in ecosystembased MSP [41,42], and European projects have actively promoted their participation in relevant geopolitical areas (source: European Commission, Maritime Affairs, Integrated Maritime Policy, https://ec.europa.eu/, accessed on 16 November 2021).…”

“…The approval and implementation of the Maritime Spatial Plan for continental Portugal [14] has legally established a new action framework for the fishing industry. Even though the involved players have recently stated that, nowadays, the conflicts between maritime activities are practically nonexistent in the Portuguese NW region, they predicted that conflicts will arise when new maritime activities intend to use maritime space currently occupied exclusively by fisheries [13]. This perception is supported by the recent conflict that arose from the installation of an offshore wind power plant in Viana do Castelo (WindFloat Atlantic project, source: EDP, Energias de Portugal, S.A., https://www.edp.pt, accessed on 16 November 2021), revealing how extremely sensitive the regional SSF is to new initiatives of maritime exploration.…”

“…Moreover, as evidence of the EU's concern about the co-location of fisheries and other maritime activities, European funds have recently been aimed at testing useful methodologies for an adequate spatial and temporal management of fishing and aquaculture activities in seven European case studies, including Portugal [11]. In this country, the National Ocean Strategy (NOS) 2013-2020 [12] was the earliest document drafted within the framework of MSP, and it established the basis for developing and updating the existing legal framework [13]. Notwithstanding the NOS being approved in 2013, the Maritime Spatial Plan [14], a key management tool associated with the Portuguese MSP, was not definitively approved for continental Portugal until December 2019 (Resolution of Council of Ministers nº 203-A/2019).…”

Potential for Coastal and Offshore Aquaculture in Portugal: Insights from Physico-Chemical and Oceanographic Conditions

“…If combined with an anchor failure as well, the whole aquaculture system becomes unfit for the sea. All studied areas had significant wave heights that exceeded 6 m. According to [119], until further technological solutions allow offshore aquaculture to be developed, the coastal modality is a more pragmatic option for the North Region (Area A) in Portugal. Area E comes close to the wave height studied by [148] with a significant height of 6.97 m. In this area, if the anchor system does not fail, the aquaculture production system should endure storm conditions, and if the aquaculture cage can be successfully placed, other variables need to be added for the biological necessities of the selected species.…”

“…In this study, data from October 2018 and April 2019 field surveys showed, as expected, that ammonia and nitrite concentrations are well below the toxic limit for any selected fish species that can be farmed in these marine areas. Similarly, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and pH levels are within the optimal range for developing marine fish farming [30,[119][120][121][122][123]. In general, the data from the field surveys highlight the good quality of the water and its potential for the implementation of new productions.…”