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The Key Role of the Barefoot Fisheries Advisors in the Co-managed TURF System of Galicia (NW Spain)

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Abstract

Many authors have pointed out the need for simpler assessment and management procedures for avoiding overexploitation in small-scale fisheries. Nevertheless, models for providing scientific advice for sustainable small-scale fisheries management have not yet been published. Here we present one model; the case of the Barefoot Fisheries Advisors (BFAs) in the Galician co-managed Territorial Users Rights for Fishing. Based on informal interviews, gray literature and our personal experience by being involved in this process, we have analyzed the historical development and evolution of roles of this novel and stimulating actor in small-scale fisheries management. The Galician BFA model allows the provision of good quality and organized fisheries data to facilitate and support decision-making processes. The BFAs also build robust social capital by acting as knowledge collectors and translators between fishers, managers, and scientists. The BFAs have become key actors in the small-scale fisheries management of Galicia and a case for learning lessons.

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Notes

  1. The Spanish original name is Asistencias Técnicas en la Gestión de Recursos Marisqueros and do not exist in any other Spanish region, but Galicia.

  2. The Galician fisheries administration is the Consellería do Medio Rural e do Mar (http://www.medioruralemar.xunta.es/mar/).

  3. This unit (known as Unidade Técnica de Pesca de Baixura) belongs to the Galician fisheries administration but it is more focused on providing advice for coastal fisheries targeting mobile resources like crustaceans, cephalopods, and fishes.

  4. The law referred is the Ley 59/1969 de Ordenación Marisquera and the decree referred is the Decreto 1238/1970: Plan de Explotación Marisquera de Galicia.

  5. Plan 10 was officially known as Programa de desenvolvemento da acuicultura de moluscos nas praias de Galicia (Program for molluscs aquaculture development in the beaches of Galicia).

  6. Plan Galicia was officially known as Programa de Desenvolvemento Productivo, Económico, Profesional e Organizativo do Marisqueo a Pé (Program for Productive, Economic, Professional and Organizational Development of the Afoot Shellfishing).

  7. Data from Plan Xeral de Ordenación Marisqueira 2011 published in the Diario Oficial de Galicia, the Official Journal of the Galician government.

  8. The Integrated Local Environmental Knowledge (ILEK) is considered a blend of diverse types of knowledge from, e.g., fishers, scientists, managers, the local community, NGOs, or any other person/institution involved in a social–ecological system. More information about the ILEK project is available at its web page: http://en.ilekcrp.org/.

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Acknowledgments

We are in debt with all Asistencias Técnicas in Galicia and the Asociación Galega de Técnicos en Xestión de Recursos Mariños for helping us reconstruct the historical evolution, their comments, help, and daily work. Special thanks to Pedro Ferreiro, Beatriz Nieto, Andrés Simón, Jose-Manuel Parada, Emilio Abella, José Rios, Marta Miñambres, Alberto Garazo, and Carlos Mariño whose collaboration and suggestions were very helpful along this study. Lobo Orensanz, Ana Parma, and Jeremy Prince have been a suggestive discussion forum along years of immense value. The recent visit to Galicia of the ILEK project, leaded by Tetsu Sato, for knowing the TAs model acted as a catalyst for publishing this work. GM and SV thank to World Wide Fund for Nature and Environmental Defense Fund for the kindly invitation to a series of workshops on artisanal fisheries and the fruitful discussions experienced there. The authors also thank Bo Söderström (Editor-in-Chief) for his valuable comments and suggestions that improved the final version of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain

    Gonzalo Macho

  2. Grupo de Recursos Mariños e Pesquerías, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, 15008, A Coruña, Spain

    Inés Naya

  3. Barrabés Next, C. Serrano 16, 28001, Madrid, Spain

    Juan Freire

  4. Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Av. Burgo Nacións s/n, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Sebastián Villasante

  5. Subdirección General de Investigación e Apoio Científico-Técnico, Consellería de Medio Rural e do Mar, Xunta de Galicia, 15701, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    José Molares

  6. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA

    Gonzalo Macho

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  1. Gonzalo Macho
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  2. Inés Naya
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  4. Sebastián Villasante
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  5. José Molares
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Correspondence to Gonzalo Macho.

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Macho, G., Naya, I., Freire, J. et al. The Key Role of the Barefoot Fisheries Advisors in the Co-managed TURF System of Galicia (NW Spain). AMBIO 42, 1057–1069 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-013-0460-0

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