Analysis of the evolution of a fisheries management plan based on environmental governance: living laboratory in the Olo River, Portugal

Abstract

Environmental governance aims to develop and understand the lessons, achievements and challenges of planning at both local and global levels. In particular, integrated river management is key to the sustainable development of ecosystems, and the collaborative and inclusive approach among stakeholders supports the decision-making process. The objective of this study was to assess the current management model for recreational fisheries in the Olo River Reserved Fishing Zone (RFZ). This management model aims to better rationalise the use of fishery resources by allowing only recreational fishing, ensuring the sustainability of this activity and of the environment, and guaranteeing that this activity contributes to the development of the basin. To this end, the state of this activity was evaluated before and after the implementation of the First Management Plan and the Second Management Plan. Samples of ichthyofauna were taken and an analysis of the data on the age, growth and physical condition of the endemic species was carried out. Multivariate analysis techniques applied to the biological and physical data sets allowed the determination of distribution patterns of Olo Basin and the relative importance of environmental variables in the discrimination of the fish assemblages.The presence of the species Salmo trutta fario improved in the stations sampled throughout the study. The abundance of fish throughout the study showed a remarkable improvement, from 1229 (year 2008), 1142 (year 2013) and 1781 (year 2018), the drop in 2013 was being due to a wildfire in the area. This fishing area has been a true living laboratory for the development of new and more sustainable inland fisheries management practices. The development of this planning and management model was successfully exported to other river basins in the area.