Small-Scale Fisheries in Spain: Diversity and Challenges

Small-scale fisheries constitute an important segment of the Spanish fishing fleet. Within the European context, the Spanish small-scale fleet is the third largest behind only Greece and Italy. The historical, cultural, economic, and social significance of this fishing sector in Spain is high, as is the range of gears and strategies used. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the condition of small-scale fisheries in Spain. It focuses on factors which have influenced the development of the sector over time. It thus pays attention to the role of local fisher organisations (cofradias), the interactions that occur with other fisheries but also with tourism, and the effects of the European Common Fisheries Policy. This chapter argues that small-scale fisheries in the country differ from one region to another, but all face serious challenges both at sea and in the markets. These are to be addressed by relevant actors at different scale levels.