{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,28]],"date-time":"2026-03-28T21:59:40Z","timestamp":1774735180873,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,24]],"date-time":"2022-01-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1642982400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sustainability"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) for continental Portugal was approved in December 2019 and has established a novel framework for those players that carry out maritime activities. In light of this challenge, our work addresses the current status of the fishing activity in the north-western region of Portugal, where relevant small-scale fisheries (SSF) are still well established. Based on official statistical data and a stakeholder survey, structural, economic, and social issues that significantly influence the sustainability of this industry were studied. Throughout the 2012\u20132019 pre-COVID-19 period, the price revalorization of primary products in first-sale markets was the key aspect that allowed fisheries to partially counteract the loss of economic value associated with the decreased fishing production (a decline of 46% of the total nominal catches). Regarding the regional fishing trade network, the fact that a given species reaches a wide range of prices in closely located major landing ports (Matosinhos, P\u00f3voa de Varzim, and Viana do Castelo) constitutes, nonetheless, an issue that deserves attention and optimization. A survey conducted among training professional fishers confirmed a deeply rooted family\/regional tradition but revealed concerns about the future generational replacement. The trainees demanded stronger support from the government, a modernization process for fishing activity, as well as higher social salary standards. Moreover, they assigned a high relevance to the sustainability of aquatic resources. In conclusion, the results shown in the present study reveal a noticeable ability of the regional fishing industry to overcome the challenging economic circumstances that have occurred in the last few years. Against the new scenario decisively influenced by the MSP, a generation of future regional fishers that pursue high social and environmental standards is certainly a solid basis for an optimistic future performance of this activity. For that purpose, a firm commitment to the use of technology seems like a key strategy to adopt in order to further the sustainability of the fisheries in the north-western region of Portugal.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/su14031266","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,25]],"date-time":"2022-01-25T21:07:11Z","timestamp":1643144831000},"page":"1266","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Sustainability of the Portuguese North-Western Fishing Activity in the Face of the Recently Implemented Maritime Spatial Planning"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2133-1581","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emilio","family":"Salas-Leiton","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2013UP, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"CIIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leix\u00f5es, Av. General Norton de Matos s\/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3197-701X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2013UP, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"CIIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leix\u00f5es, Av. General Norton de Matos s\/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0280-4956","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vanessa","family":"Neves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2013UP, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"CIIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leix\u00f5es, Av. General Norton de Matos s\/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5499-5152","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joana","family":"Soares","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2013UP, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"CIIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leix\u00f5es, Av. General Norton de Matos s\/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9637-6541","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adriano","family":"Bordalo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2013UP, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"CIIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leix\u00f5es, Av. General Norton de Matos s\/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"}]},{"given":"S\u00e9rgia","family":"Costa-Dias","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2013UP, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"CIIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leix\u00f5es, Av. General Norton de Matos s\/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"European Commission (2021, November 16). Report on the Blue Growth Strategy. Towards More Sustainable Growth and Jobs in the Blue Economy. European Commission, Commission Staff Working Document, 61p. Available online: http:\/\/www.bluemed-initiative.eu\/blue-growth-strategy-towards0more-sustainable-growth-and-jobs-in-the-blue-economy\/."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"European Commission (2021, November 16). Strategic Guidelines for a More Sustainable and Competitive EU Aquaculture for the Period 2021 to 2030. European Commission, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, 33p. 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