Co-management: a governance scheme for marine living resources. The case of Catalonia

Abstract

Participation of stakeholders in the management of marine living resources currently takes place in different instances in Catalonia. In all cases, a formal Committee, working rules and monitoring, control and surveillance protocols, were established, with the participation of public administrations, stakeholders (fishermen, diving associations, etc.), scientists and civil society represented by environmentalist NGOs. Such Committees were created by the initiative of the main users or beneficiaries of the resources. Their establishment was prompted by the need for a close monitoring of the activity and an adaptive management approach involving stakeholders. The case studies are i) Sand eel fishery: a small scale traditional fishery that needed scientific support for specific derogations of EC rules in order to assure its continuity; ii) Deep-Sea red shrimp fishery: the fishery targeting the most valuable resource in Catalonia which required sound management measures beyond those legally in force in order to guarantee its future; iii) The Medes Islands marine reserve: a delimited area with the primary purpose of conservation where different stakeholders are involved. The general outcome of the implementation of co-management has been positive and constitutes a progress in relation to the previous situation. However, the emergence of unexpected conflicts and difficulties highlights the need for a careful study of their weaknesses and potential threats which are presented here along with possible solutions