FISHING AND TERRITORY. STATUS AND PERSPECTIVES OF SARDINIA FISHERIES. THE CASE OF TRADITIONAL FISHERY IN ASINARA ISLAND MPA

This contribution intends to suggest a survey on the dynamics related to fishing activity in Sardinia. Firstly, it will be proposed a quantitative synoptic analysis about the relevance of the aforementioned sector on a global, continental and national scale. This will be followed by a more careful analysis of the nautical and fishing sectors in Sardinia and, in particular, in Asinara Island. As regards the case study, through the consultation of institutional reports and cross-sector reference bibliography, there will be presented the specificities related to the state of the fishing fleet in Sardinia and to the data of the vessels carrying out fishing and aquaculture activities in Sardinian waters. In relation to the state and deployment of the fishing fleet at the major and minor port systems of the island, the main techniques and tools used by Sardinian seafarers will also be analyzed (fixed longlines, bottom trawls, purse seines, casting nets, driftnets). Next, the contribution will provide updated information about employment in fishing and about the importance of this sector for the local economy of an island with almost 1900 km of coastline and a marked vocation for seaside tourism. As a matter of fact, if fishing constitutes an economic and socially relevant activity in itself and an important historical and traditional heritage, it represents at the same time a possible trigger to read the territorial dynamics of coastal areas, to identify possible extensions and enhancements of the tourist offer (fishing tourism), to investigate the effectiveness and consistency of bottom-up governance formulas. Governability, however, is a complex concept with many dimensions and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are certainly a valuable tool to meet both conservation and socio-economic needs. Indeed, it has been extensively demonstrated that well-managed MPAs lead to an increase in species richness. The mapping and the identification of habitats and species fished in Asinara Island MPA made it possible to pinpoint the priority areas in need of protection and to define efficient fisheries management measures shared by all stakeholders. The study outlines small-scale fishing in the Marine Protected Area of Asinara Island and fosters knowledge and evolution of artisanal fishing activities in the study area. This work also intends to constitute the premise for future and more applicative lines of research.