Socio-economic quantification of fishing in a European urban area: the case of Vigo

Abstract

General data would seem to indicate that aquaculture and extractive fishing are primary activities with a greater presence in developing and less industrial economies. Despite the scant importance of fishing in the EU (in terms of GDP and employment), it remains a focal point of EU activity by means of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The CFP establishes measures aimed at supporting fishing, often assuming that it is localized activity in rural, less developed regions. This study looks to quantify the importance and economic and social impact of primary fisheries and aquaculture activities in a European urban region (the area of the Ria of Vigo, in Galicia, Spain) through an exercise based on an input-output approach. The exercise carried out will provide results that imply a total impact that could reach around 7% of the study region's income and employment. From these results it can be concluded that fishing as a primary activity may also be relevant in EU urban areas; therefore, fishery management and support measures within the CFP should bear this differentiated reality in mind.