Marine Recreational Fishing in Portugal: Current Knowledge, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Marine recreational fishing (MRF) in Portugal is a traditional leisure activity with considerable importance for coastal populations. In the absence of available information from the national data collection framework, this article aims to review the existing information on MRF across the country. MRF was an open access fishery until recently, but with rising evidence of overexploitation of coastal resources, a precautionary approach was imposed top-down, without consulting recreational fishers. In Portugal, the MRF participation rate is comparable to the European average (2%). The most important fishing mode (according to the official issued licenses) is shore angling. Mainland Portugal marine recreational catches (0.8% of total commercial landings) are likely underestimated, while the estimate for the Azores (6% of total commercial landings) is probably closer to the national reality. The Portuguese MRF sector faces several challenges, including: (1) the need for a definition of a national data collection framework; (2) the inclusion of MRF harvest estimates in stock assessments for key captured species; (3) management approaches which also take into account the ecosystem approach to fisheries and any potential effects of climate change; (4) additional research on post-release mortalities for the most important MRF species; and (5) a stronger involvement of all stakeholders in the decision-making process of MRF. The latter would be critical to improve the adequacy of regulations to the MRF reality, mitigate conflicts with other sectors (e.g., commercial fishing), and potentially increase fishers compliance.

Keywords:

• Recreational fisheries
• angling
• spearfishing
• fisheries management
• climate change

Additional information

Funding

CP would like to acknowledge FCT/MEC national funds and FEDER co-funding, within the PT2020 partnership Agreement and Compete 2020, for the financial support to CESAM [UID/AMB/50017/2019]. The CCMAR affiliated authors would like to acknowledge Portuguese national funds from FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology through project UIDB/04326/2020. MR would also like to acknowledge FCT funding through a post-doctoral grant (SFRH/BPD/116307/2016). AS would like to acknowledge the support of FCT through the strategic project UID/MAR/04292/2013 granted to MARE, and also the support of the Integrated Program of SR & TD “Smart Valorization of Endogenous Marine Biological Resources Under a Changing Climate” (reference Centro-01-0145-FEDER-000018), co-funded by Centro 2020 program, Portugal 2020, European Union, through the European Regional Development Fund.