Oral presentation at the 8 World Recreational Fishing Conference, Victoria, Canada. There are growing concerns about the impact of Marine Recreational Fishing (MRF) on ecosystems and its combined effects with other human activities, such as commercial fishing, especially in the higher trophic levels. On the other hand, recreational fishers make a considerable economic contribution by their expenses in materials, boats, licenses and travel costs and accommodation. However, little research has been conducted on MRF in Europe, particularly in the South. In the Euroregion Galicia-Northern Portugal extensive research in basic features of MRF is still needed to support management decisions and to reduce growing conflicts between recreational and commercial fishers and other stakeholders. In this work we have analysed the social, economic and ecological impact of the MRF in this Euroregion by characterizing the types of users, estimating their costs and their catches by species. In particular, we have performed on-site and on-line interviews with fishers of the different mêtiers to gather economic information (costs, disbursements and profitability), social (education, occupation, age, residence, sex, generation of direct and indirect jobs and complementarity with commercial fishing and tourism) and ecological (trends and factors influencing abundances, gears used, species targeted and seasonal and daily effort and catches). Management recommendations have been given to improve socio-ecological sustainability of MRF.

1. Social and ecological attributes
of marine recreational fisheries
in the Euroregion Galicia-
Northern Portugal
8th WRFC. Victoria, 16-20 July 2017
PABLO PITA, PEDRO GOMES, KIERAN HYDER, CRISTINA PITA, MAFALDA RANGEL,
PEDRO VEIGA, JOSÉ VINGADA, SEBASTIÁN VILLASANTE

2. Background and objectives
• Concerns about the impact of Marine Recreational
Fishing (MRF).
• Economic contribution of MRF.
• Little research has been conducted on MRF in Atlantic
Southern Europe.
• Complex socioecological environments.
• More data on MRF is needed to support management
decisions.
• We analyzed social, economic and ecological relevance
of MRF in the Euroregion Galicia-Northern Portugal.

3. Methodology
• On-line questionnaire for the different MRF
modalities.
• Study disseminated among stakeholders and
recreational/sport fishing networks.
• Questions:
– Ecology: trends and factors influencing abundances.
– Fishery: gears, species, effort and catches.
– Social: education, occupation, age, sex and
complementarity with other activities.
– Economy: costs and expenditures.

4. Results

5. Questionnaires
Modality
Nationality Gear
Portuguese Spanish Other Handline Rod Speargun
Boat 6 100 1 39 50 27
Shore 10 177 2 1 162 28
Licenses
Sources: Fishing licenses in 2015: Portugal (continent): www.dgrm.mm.gov.pt; Galicia: Xunta de Galicia.
Zone
Modality
Total Population Ratio
Shore Boat Spearfishing Other
Galicia 59692 0 2584 - 62276 2732347 2.28
Portugal 112467 64171 9721 3458 189817 9839140 1.93

6. Ecology: abundances
Relevance of the factors that govern the presence and abundance of fish species
0=very low; 2=very high

7. Ecology: trends in catches
Average catches per day at the start of your activity and nowadays

8. Fishery: species captured
What species do you catch, and percentage of the total?

9. Fishery: fishing season
What is your season (months) of fishing (in the last 5 years)?

10. Fishery: effort and catches
Hours per day
Modality
Nationality Gear
Portuguese Spanish Handline Rod Speargun
Boat 6.5 4.0 3.9 4.3 3.0
Shore 5.0 4.6 - 5.3 -
Days per month
Modality
Nationality Gear
Portuguese Spanish Handline Rod Speargun
Boat 5.9 8.3 8.4 8.5 10.3
Shore 5.8 15.1 - 18.8 -
Catch per day (Kg)
Modality
Nationality Gear
Portuguese Spanish Handline Rod Speargun
Boat 7.6 3.3 3.0 3.1 4.0
Shore - 3.9 1.5 5.3 3.2

11. Demography: age, family, education
Familymembers(N)
NR/DK= No response/Don’t know

12. Alone
Family
Friends
Sociology: organization and fishing
preferences
Do you feel represented by your Federation / club or organization?
Have you had an accident when fishing? Did you require hospitalization?

13. Economy: boat features

14. Economy: boat expenditures
Average annual expenditure (last 5 years) in:

15. Economy: fishing expenditures
Average annual expenditure (last 5 years) in:

16. Discussion
• Coverage.
• Biases: avidity, recall.
• Next steps: scaling to general
population.
• Relevance of the activity in ecology
and socioeconomy.

17. Thank you!
Email: pablo.pita@usc.es