The Traditional Small-Scale Octopus Fishery in Portugal: Framing Its Governability

The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) fishery is of substantial importance in southern Europe. This is the case in Portugal where the octopus fishery has considerable social and economic value, with small-scale fishing being increasingly economically dependent on this resource. The octopus fishery in the European Union is excluded from quota regulations under the Common Fisheries Policy, and hence Portugal is responsible for managing its own fishery. This chapter describes the current status of the small-scale octopus fishery in Portugal, its governing system, challenges faced by the fishery and implications of these challenges for the governability of the fishery. The Portuguese octopus fishery faces several challenges including those inherent to the biological features of the species and its sensitivity to environmental influences. Limited understanding about the resource has led to inappropriate monitoring and assessment, and a lack of intervention by authorities in the management of octopus. Although formal participation of fishers in the decision-making process for octopus management is a recent phenomenon, the management measures implemented over the years were the result of pressure from fishers worried about decreasing economic returns. However, poor organization, lack of trust and little cooperation between fishers results in them having little influence in the decision-making process. Several recent developments aimed at improving the governance framework and increasing the profitability of the octopus fishery, however, have the potential to improve the current management system and increase sustainability.