Analysis of the Effects of Informality in the Maritime Sector on Food Health

Xose Picatoste (), Ignacio Picatoste-Novo (), Asunción López-Arranz () and Isabel Novo-Corti ()
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Xose Picatoste: University Institute of Maritime Studies and EDaSS Research Group, University of A Coruña
Ignacio Picatoste-Novo: University Institute of Maritime Studies and EDaSS Research Group, University of A Coruña
Asunción López-Arranz: University Institute of Maritime Studies and EDaSS Research Group, University of A Coruña
Isabel Novo-Corti: University Institute of Maritime Studies and EDaSS Research Group, University of A Coruña

Chapter Chapter 33 in Human Resource Development for Sustainability and Social Responsibility, 2026, pp 489-499 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Informality in the maritime food sector spans a spectrum of unregistered vessels, undocumented labor and unregulated processing, all of which undermine food safety, community livelihoods and environmental stewardship. This paper first reviews the distinctive features of informal food production in primary sectors, focusing on small-scale fisheries. We then identify the economic (poverty, limited credit), regulatory (weak enforcement, high compliance costs), and social (limited training, cultural norms) drivers of informality, showing how each factor jeopardizes handling, hygiene, traceability, and hazard exposure. In contexts lacking primary data, we propose a mixed-methods toolkit, comprising Delphi panels, participatory rural appraisal, remote sensing, proxy indicators, and system dynamics modelling, to estimate risk. A focused discussion of marine poaching highlights food-health hazards, from microbial contamination to chemical misuse, exacerbated by supply-chain opacity. We conclude with a human-centered narrative that re-frames policy interventions (e.g., tiered licensing, community monitoring, subsidized training) as collaborative efforts rather than top-down mandates. Finally, we outline future research directions -spanning rapid field diagnostics, gender-sensitive training, digital traceability pilots, and hybrid governance models- aimed at co-creating safe, inclusive, and sustainable maritime food systems.

Keywords: Informal Economy; Food Safety Regulation; Small-Scale Fisheries Governance; Traceability and Compliance; Socioeconomic Drivers of Informality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:prbchp:978-3-032-09683-8_33

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-09683-8_33

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