Management units and management recommendations for the artisanal fishery in Tenerife (The Canary Islands)

Abstract

The Canary Islands marine ecosystem is very vulnerable due to the low abundance of the high number of species and, the complex relationships between them. On the other hand, several studies have concluded that the coastal resources off the Canary Islands have long been over-exploited. However, this fact has not motivated a significant change in political management strategies and most of the management plans focussed on the artisanal fishery have not been design with the collaboration of the sector and therefore some of the measures implemented are not accomplished. The high number of target species and gears in the artisanal fishery as well as the difficulties for monitoring and surveillance, and lack of scientific information generate difficulties to establish management plans in the Canary Islands. As contribution to improve this situation, it was carried out the case study “Tenerife island fisheries(The Canary Islands)” in the framework of the international project GEPETO-Fisheries Management and Transnational Objectives. Atlantic Area Programme Project 2011-1/159, co-financed by the EU. This paper presents the two Management Units identified in the artisanal fishery of Tenerife (The Canary islands) (Traíñas – purse seiners – and Other Artisanal fleet) as well as some Management Recommendations, as contribution to the establishment of management plans leading to sustainable pattern of fisheries activity for the preservation of the resources. All of that were carried out in collaboration with the stakeholders (Fishermen organizations – cofradias –, a marketing organization, regional and national fisheries administrations fisheries administrations, scientistics of the IEO – Instituto Español de Oceanografía – in the Canary Islands, and the SWW RAC (Southern Western Waters Regional Advisory Councils).