April 2026

CETMAR’s presentations at the 1st Iberian Congress on Small-Scale Fisheries focused on the dynamics of fishing communities and their socio-economic impact

• The Marine Technology Centre took part in this first edition, held in Santander and organised by the IEO, with two presentations on the socio-economic impacts of small-scale fishing and its importance within the economic structure of Galicia.

The first edition of the Iberian Congress on Artisanal Fisheries was held in Santander with the participation of CETMAR’s Fisheries Socio-Economics Area. They attended alongside its partners in the ESPARDE project: the University of Oviedo and IEO -Vigo. This congress aims to bring visibility to the small-scale fishing sector in Spain and Portugal, and to generate knowledge, share experiences and strengthen links between science, management and the sector.

In this context, CETMAR delivered two presentations: one on the socio-economic impacts of small-scale fisheries and maritime spatial planning in Galicia, and another on methodological proposals for mapping and analysing the dynamics of fishing communities.

The first presentation emphasised that fishing communities are essential for effective, equitable and resilient ecosystem-based governance; therefore, understanding how they are organised and connected territorially enables the assessment of social and economic impacts, the anticipation of vulnerabilities and the design of evidence-based policies.

For this purpose, a methodology is proposed that goes beyond the current use of the home port as an approach to the fishing community, incorporating the networks of interaction between ports, based on trade flows. This allows recognising not only the relevant nodes, but also the relational structures that link artisanal fishing communities and reveal differences between fisheries that the home port paradigm fails to capture.

In small-scale fisheries, some ports emerge as key bridges and others concentrate commercial importance, whilst the overall network identifies structurally distinct nodes and a wider variety of destinations. Furthermore, some ports increase their centrality when analysing small-scale fisheries alone, highlighting their strategic role and their lesser relevance to the fishing industry.

Comparing the two networks allows us to identify functional communities that differ from the paradigm based exclusively on the home port, detect critical dependencies, and provide a solid basis for integrating socio-economic information into fisheries analysis. It also demonstrates the potential of network approaches to map the dynamics of each fishing community and strengthen decision-making from a territorial and ecosystemic perspective.

The second presentation, entitled “Mapping the socio-economic impacts of small-scale fishing and maritime spatial planning in Galicia”, highlighted the importance of small-scale fishing as a structural component of Galicia’s coastal socio-economic system.

According to data, more than 3,600 vessels generate €183.9 million in production and €130.9 million in Gross Value Added, sustaining communities that are highly dependent on fishing grounds with a high productive specialisation. However, new uses of marine space or conservation measures — Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) or Areas of High Offshore Wind Potential — introduce spatial restrictions that affect fishing activity significantly.

The proposal for Vulnerable Marine Areas illustrates the scale of this issue: more than 875 small-scale fishing vessels, particularly those using gillnets, trammel nets and seine nets, could see their operations restricted in areas where their landings exceeded €90 million in 2024. With an average of 2.42 crew members per vessel, these restrictions would jeopardise approximately 2,100 jobs, equivalent to 33.5% of employment in the coastal artisanal fleet. Added to this is an indirect impact estimated at €54.7 million resulting from the reduction in essential goods and services. Overall, the economic impact for Galicia would amount to €279.7 million when considering the effects across the value chain.

CETMAR also highlighted that small-scale fisheries actively participate in Local Fisheries Action Groups, acting as a mechanism for territorial governance capable of strengthening social capital, generating economic alternatives and increasing community resilience. Between 2023 and 2025, this sector promoted 163 projects worth €9.26 million, the impact of which doubles to €20 million when direct, indirect and induced effects are taken into account.

The combination of spatial constraints, dependence on inputs and lack of operational alternatives explains the sector’s vulnerability. Integrating geographical, economic and social data makes it possible to identify where and to what extent these impacts are felt, highlighting the need for adaptive governance frameworks combining conservation, economic viability and social cohesion.

The Horizon Europe project REDUCE joins over 700 leaders and experts at the 12th West African Marine and Coastal Forum in Nouakchott

A high-level delegation from the European consortium REDUCE, which includes the University of Barcelona (UB), the Marine Technology Centre (Fundación CETMAR), the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), BirdLife International (BLI), and the PRCM, which is also the local host, is participating in the 12th edition of FOMACO 2026 in Nouakchott

The project REDUCES of Horizon Europe, in which it participates CETMAR, is present these days in the West African Marine and Coastal Forum, the greater meeting of actors of the conservation in Western Africa, and that celebrates in the Palace of Congresses Mokhtar Ould Daddah from the Monday and until 30 April under the lemma: «The health of the oceans: crowbar for a sustainable blue economy and inclusive».

This event, the largest gathering of conservation stakeholders in West Africa, is being held at the Mokhtar Ould Daddah Congress Palace from April 27 to 30, 2026, under the theme: “The health of the oceans: a lever for a sustainable and inclusive blue economy.”

In a regional context marked by the climate emergency and the overexploitation of resources, REDUCE is positioned as a key initiative to help mitigate the bycatch of threatened marine megafauna in the fishing grounds of the Central-Eastern Atlantic. The project seeks to transform science into political and technical action, directly contributing to West Africa’s future regional roadmap for accelerating cooperation on ocean health.

During the forum, the REDUCE consortium will lead three strategic side events to present its proposals for potential innovative and scalable solutions:

• Side Event 19 (April 28, 2:30–4:00 p.m., Room C): “Reducing Marine Megafauna Bycatch: The Collaborative Approach of the REDUCE Project.” The socio-ecological dimensions and the commitment of key stakeholders to sustainable fishing will be analyzed.

• Side Event 20 (April 28, 4:30–6:00 p.m., Room A): “Electronic Monitoring Opportunities for West African Fisheries.” In collaboration with the FAO’s Common Oceans Tuna project, electronic monitoring (ERM) systems will be presented as practical tools to strengthen transparency and reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

• Side Event 33 (April 29, 4:30–6:00 p.m., Room E): “Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in West Africa.” A roundtable discussion organized in conjunction with the UNESCO-IOC MSPglobal program to foster inclusive dialogue on the equitable management of marine resources.

REDUCE’s participation in this forum, which is supported by the Mauritanian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, underscores the urgent need to restore ecosystems and ensure decent livelihoods for coastal communities in the region. As Dr. Ahmed Senhoury, Executive Director of the PRCM, pointed out, this edition should mark a turning point towards more systemic, coordinated, and financially sustainable ocean action.

The role of CETMAR

The Centro Tecnolóxico do Mar-Fundación CETMAR plays a key role in the REDUCE project delegation at the 12th Regional Marine and Coastal Forum (FOMACO 2026) in Nouakchott, Mauritania. CETMAR coordinates efforts to bridge the gap between scientific research and the practical needs of the fishing industry and policy-makers in the project area, seeking their involvement.

During the forum, Rosa Fernández, representing CETMAR, will lead a dedicated session on Tuesday 28 April. Her presentation, entitled “Stakeholder Engagement for Sustainable Fisheries: REDUCE Promotes Collaboration and Capacity Building”, focuses on the project’s approach to stakeholders to ensure that measures to mitigate bycatch of threatened species are effective and socio-economically viable.

CETMAR’s expertise in technology transfer and knowledge management is essential for translating the project’s scientific findings into sustainable fisheries management practices within the REDUCE area. CETMAR’s participation in this regional dialogue reinforces its commitment to the health of the oceans as a key driver of a sustainable blue economy in West Africa.

About REDUCE

REDUCE project is a pioneering initiative funded by the European Union Horizon Europe programme with over €8 million, running from 2024 to 2027, dedicated to researching ways to reduce the bycatch of threatened, endangered, and protected marine megafauna (turtles, cetaceans, birds, and sharks) and thereby protect marine biodiversity in the Central-Eastern Atlantic through international cooperation, involving all relevant stakeholders and promoting the development and implementation of cutting-edge technology.

O Centro Tecnolóxico do Mar-Fundación CETMAR desenvolveu  59 proxectos e servizos ao longo de 2025 da man de 182 socios de 32 países do mundo

• O Centro Tecnolóxico do Mar presenta na súa memoria os logros derivados das accións levadas a cabo cara a impulsar a innovación, a sostibilidade e o coñecemento aplicado ao mar, así como o avance dunha economía azul responsable e resiliente

O Centro Tecnolóxico do Mar-Fundación CETMAR  coordinou e participou ao longo do ano 2025 nun total de 59 proxectos e servizos, unha actividade para a que contou coa colaboración de 182 socios con sede en 32 países do mundo. Así o recolle a Memoria 2025 da institución, unha publicación que xa está dispoñible na súa páxina web, e que resume os logros do centro na loita contra a contaminación mariña, na xestión dos recursos pesqueiros, na adaptación ao cambio climático, ou na observación oceánica e no fortalecemento da economía azul, entre outras liñas de actuación.

Do total das 59 accións levadas a cabo por CETMAR -37 servizos e 22 proxectos de investigación-, 33 foron de ámbito internacional e 26 de ámbito nacional, desenvolvéndose neste último a maioría dos servizos, mentres que 7 de cada 10 proxectos traspasaron as fronteiras nacionais.

Un equipo composto por 62 profesionais de ámbitos tan diversos como as ciencias do mar, a bioloxía, a enxeñería, o dereito, a economía, o xornalismo, as ciencias políticas ou a filoloxía, entre outros, fixeron posible o desenvolvemento de todas estas accións, cun traballo diario para apoiar aos sectores da pesca, o marisqueo e a acuicultura, aos sectores da economía azul, ás administracións públicas e as organizacións profesionais, científicas e sociais, e, sobre todo, a todas aquelas persoas que dependen dos  ecosistemas mariños.

Toda esta labor foi posible grazas ao respaldo económico de máis dunha vintena de fontes de financiamento, a maioría de ámbito autonómico ou europeo, como a Xunta de Galicia a través da Consellería do Mar, entre outros departamentos da administración galega, ou a Unión Europea, que apoiou a actividade de CETMAR en cerca de 30 das accións desenvolvidas.

Para desenvolver o seu traballo, a fundación galega asociouse con máis de 180 centros de investigación ou tecnolóxicos (48), ademais de administracións (31), universidades (36), empresas (21), entidades e asociacións (29) e co propio sector pesqueiro. Estes socios procedían de 32 países do mundo, como Portugal, Francia, Italia, Grecia, Turquía, Dinamarca, Irlanda ou Reino Unido, pasando por outros países de África e América Latina (Perú, Honduras, Costa Rica, O Salvador, Namibia, Senegal ou Sao Tomé e Príncipe), onde se desenvolveron máis dunha ducia de proxectos e servizos no ámbito da cooperación Internacional.

Moitas destas accións, relacionadas na Memoria 2025 nos ámbitos de loita contra a contaminación mariña, xestión de recursos e xestión e transferencia de tecnoloxía, gobernanza mariña, análise de datos e observación mariña, a formación ou a cooperación, seguen o seu curso neste 2026, ano en que o Centro Tecnolóxico do Mar-Fundación CETMAR cumpre 25 anos.

Para festexar este aniversario, a institución galega ten preparado un amplo programa de actividades no mes de xuño (feira científica LonxaLAB, diálogos do mar, regata de embarcacións solares), ao tempo que renova o seu compromiso de seguir acompañando ás persoas que viven do mar, impulsando o coñecemento e reforzando a sostibilidade dos océanos.

The European Free LitterAT project, coordinated by CETMAR, is making significant progress in the fight against marine litter in the Atlantic

• Partners from Spain, Portugal, France and Ireland met in the Portuguese town of Cascais to review the progress of this initiative, in which Intecmar, the IEO-CSIC and the University of Santiago are also participating.

The Centro Tecnolóxico do Mar and its partners in Free LitterAT reviewed the progress made in the fight against marine litter in the Atlantic through the various initiatives carried out by this European project, now entering its final stages. A meeting held in the Portuguese town of Cascais, brought together representatives from the institutions in Spain, Portugal, France and Ireland that make up the consortium.

Through a comprehensive and coordinated approach, the Free LitterAT partners confirmed significant progress in the prevention of marine litter. To date, interviews have been conducted in various ports to assess the implementation of European waste management regulations and analyse recycling processes. This work led to the compilation and systematisation of best practices on a platform accessible on the project’s website.

In parallel, life-cycle studies of fishing nets were completed in various countries, whilst recycling protocols for different types of gear were developed and evaluated, alongside guidelines, protocols and fact sheets for the management of by-catch.

All these actions were reinforced through the organisation of thematic workshops on single-use plastics, waste management regulations and waste fishing, and local workshops – the first one held in France – to be continued in the remaining countries, alongside transnational pilot actions to test waste management practices. This is complemented by a socio-economic study providing key information on public perception and social impact of these initiatives.

Regarding monitoring, progress was reported on tracking seabed litter using remotely operated underwater vehicles or analysing images of deep-sea waste; advances were made in characterising benthic macro-litter; and steps forward were taken in microplastic monitoring systems.

The meeting also served to present the initial results of the workshops organised in Brest (France) and Porto Santo (Portugal), aimed at identifying the geographical sources and activities responsible for marine litter, alongside preliminary assessments of pollution distribution in the Atlantic. Critical zones and priority areas for intervention were identified to guide future pilot actions and optimise monitoring and removal strategies.

The work undertaken by the Free LitterAT partners also resulted in a series of significant advances in modelling, with focus on the study of plastic degradation, biofouling, resuspension and the processes involved in waste reaching the shore (‘beaching’).

These studies are now being incorporated into the Lagrangian marine litter model, an oceanographic simulation tool that tracks the movement of individual particles by following their trajectory in time and space. This model was recently updated, enabling the analysis of the origin, transport and destination of this waste, establishing the link between accumulation zones and land-based sources, and thus improving the planning of prevention and removal strategies.

In addition, a second model, now completed and validated, simulates the drifting behaviour of nets and other fishing gear. The combination of these tools, together with the identification of critical accumulation spots, provides key information for optimising waste management and anticipating areas of risk.

Regarding waste reduction, participants shared their work on tackling abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear, by-catch waste, waste accumulated in coastal areas, and fibres and microplastics. In this area, campaigns to test technological equipment for detecting abandoned gear, and the launch of new initiatives are being planned.

Other notable milestones included progress in the removal of marine litter from coastal accumulation zones, even in remote areas, and innovative solutions, such as the advances in microplastic filtration devices for washing machines, designed as practical measures to reduce pollution at source.

The Free LitterAT consortium, made up of CETMAR, the Instituto Tecnolóxico para o Control do Medio Mariño (Intecmar), the University of Santiago and the IEO-CSIC, will keep on strengthening its approach to the prevention, monitoring and reduction of marine litter with an ambitious plan of pilot actions, workshops and training and awareness-raising initiatives scheduled for 2026.