The cofradías’ role within the Fisheries Local Action Groups system: Implications for small-scale fisheries in Galicia (Spain)

Abstract

Structural funds for fisheries have a long history in the European Union, but the use of public funds for the sustainable development of fisheries-dependent areas is a relatively recent practice. This approach is based on the concept of sustainable fisheries management and focuses on increasing the importance of the involvement of local communities in conservation and management. Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs), created to harmonise social development in a broad sense with the specific, sectoral development of fishing, have become key players in this process in some European countries. In Galicia (NW Spain), FLAGs started to be created in 2008, and soon they were deeply integrated into the small-scale fisheries (SSF) sector, which was already highly organised. Thus, synergies have been established between cofradías—fisheries organisations with a key role and strong responsibilities in the management of fisheries resources- and FLAGs. This article studies the interdependencies between cofradías and FLAGs and how these relationships can influence the development of SSF and their communities. Galician FLAGs and cofradías have created in general positive relationships that contributed to the development of the SSF sector. On the other hand, bureaucratic obligations are concentrated funding in larger cofradías, while the needs of the most vulnerable fishing stakeholders are less covered.