The programme is based on the following steps:
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Identification and definition of artisanal fisheries operations
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Location of its activity in space and time
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Assessment of the main non-fishery interacting elements according to zones, types, etc.
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Assessment of the main fishery components (fleet, mariculture, catch , effort, etc — collecting information only, not through exhaustive surveys)
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Definition of artisanal fishery typologies and their consistency (on a regional scale)
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Formulation of a research programme for the execution of detailed pilot studies in well-delimited zones. The results of which could serve as a relevant model for other zones
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Setting up and execution of pilot studies intending to define fisheries management strategies of this sector for the profit of those parties involved in the fishing sector and in the administration
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Presentation of the results and critical analysis of the results.
Definition of Artisanal Fisheries in this study
A comparative analysis of practices, terminology and interpretation of artisanal fisheries in each country enabled to establish a standardised method to define the Artisanal Fisheries in the Region.
The Artisanal fishery is defined as the combination of the following:
Port - Gear - Target Species - Fishing Zone - Season
All métiers are included in artisanal fisheries except for those practised with the following gear:
- trawl nets;
- large seines for small pelagics (other than those using lampara);
- gear targeting large pelagics (purse seines, longlines, drift nets, stationary uncovered pound nets —madragues-, tuna; rods, trolling lines)
- hydraulic mollusc dredges;
- large longliners.
The purpose of the preliminary phase of this work is to design and implement a detailed inventory of Artisanal fisheries and their geographical location. The Project will subsequently prepare a series of tables, maps, typologies and analyses aiming at characterising this sector at regional level and prepare further studies in various disciplines.
This work is being carried out simultaneously in all countries of the Project in a Networking environment having the Project team acting as the hub. The National Correspondents of this network operating in a country (or part of it) collect and exchanges information with national institutions and with the Regional Co-ordinator.
A regional information system covering artisanal fishery in Western Mediterranean with a GIS application tool has been developed "ArtMedFish" and is being used by all the parties concerned.
The methods and the results will be put at the disposal of all participating country administrations as well as to the various institutes and laboratories of the Region, as well as to fisherman associations. The achievements of this work will be regularly submitted to the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the General Fishery Commission for the Mediterranean) (GFCM).
