Evaluation of the Economic Performance of Coastal Trawling off the Southern Coast of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea)

Federico Di Maio, Michele Luca Geraci, Danilo Scannella, Tommaso Russo and Fabio Fiorentino
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Federico Di Maio: Geological and Environmental Sciences (BIGEA)-Marine Biology and Fisheries Laboratory of Fano (PU), Department of Biological, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Michele Luca Geraci: Geological and Environmental Sciences (BIGEA)-Marine Biology and Fisheries Laboratory of Fano (PU), Department of Biological, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Danilo Scannella: Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies (IRBIM), National Research Council-CNR, 91026 Mazara del Vallo, Italy
Tommaso Russo: Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Roma, Italy
Fabio Fiorentino: Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies (IRBIM), National Research Council-CNR, 91026 Mazara del Vallo, Italy

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: The economic performances of four trawling fleets (those of the Sicilian cities of Trapani, Sciacca, Licata and Porto Palo di Capo Passero) operating in the coastal waters along the southern coast of Sicily (geographical Subarea 16), and potentially affected by the establishment of the Fisheries Restricted Areas (FRAs), were analysed. The main economic performance results (revenues, costs and profits) of 37 trawlers were calculated prior to the implementation of FRAs and compared with those estimated by the spatial bio-economic model SMART after the FRAs’ establishment. Results showed that the fleets of Sciacca and Licata, located in the central part of the southern Sicilian coast, had a short-term reduction of profits as a result of the implementation of the FRAs; conversely, a short-term increase in the economic performances of Trapani and Porto Palo di Capo Passero fleets was expected. Although the FRAs represent a good tool for rebuilding overexploited stocks, the different socio-economic impacts of the single fleets should be assessed before adopting them and the implementation of specific compensative measures should be planned for the impacted fleet until a more productive state of the stock is reached.

Keywords: bottom trawling; catch composition; bio-economic model; SMART; strait of Sicily (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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