The Project PRESPO is integrated in the Priority 2 of the Programme “Protect, secure and enhance the marine and coastal environment sustainability”, specifically in the Objective 2.2 “Sustainable management and protection of the resources of marine spaces”, taking into account that the aim is to guarantee the long-term sustainability of the fishing activity, considering environmental, economical and social aspects. Moreover, because marine areas are used daily by numerous fishing boats, the project also coincides with the Objective 2.1 of the Priority 2 “Improve maritime safety”, since it will be obtained information on the fishing activity, essential to promote the integrated management of the marine areas.

PRESPO is clearly trans-national as in the areas included in the project (Portugal, Spain and France) in particular, and in the Atlantic Area in general, the artisanal fishery has great social and economical importance, namely in the areas that highly dependent on this activity, which is a tradition and a factor of regional identity that constitutes part of the culture of the different regions, and therefore, should be maintained and preserved. With the project PRESPO it is expected to improve the current fisheries management policy of common fishing resources in the Atlantic Area that are exploited by the artisanal fleet, through the development of alternative tools towards to an integrate management of coastal fisheries. PRESPO will contribute to the organisation of costal fisheries and for the promotion of their sustainability, with positive repercussions at social-economic level, in particular through the maintenance of jobs in the fisheries sector, as well as in its associated industries. For these reasons, PRESPO counts with the support from the fisheries sector, in particular from the Conseil Consultatif Régional Sud.

The partnership PRESPO is constituted by 11 partners (2 Portuguese, 6 Spanish and 3 French) and 6 associates partners (4 French and 2 Spanish, all regional authorities) that will act as external financing, and is represented by Research Institutes (IPIMAR, IFREMER, IFAPA); Universities (FEUP, UCA, UHU); Regional Administrations (CEP) and non-profitable organisations (CETMAR, AZTI, AGLIA, RICEP). Some partners extend their activity throughout all the national territory, as IPIMAR (Portugal), IFREMER, AGLIA and RICEP (France).

PRESPO is based on several clearly innovating components, not only in its methodological aspects and in the tools that will be used / developed but also in its strategic focus. An innovative aspect of this project is the creation of Observatories of the artisanal fisheries, at local or regional level, which will act as a forum of analysis and discussion among professionals, researchers and local administrations, leading to scientific-technical proposals to the Fisheries Administration, thus ensuring a high involvement and cooperation by all partners.

Data start/end: January, 2009/December, 2011

Funding Institution: COMISSÃO EUROPEIA

Programme: INTERREG

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