Structure and evolution of the artisanal fishery in a southern Italian coastal area

The artisanal fishery still represents a very important sector in the whole Mediterranean region but is subject to important changes related to the increase of fishing effort and to the growing development of new activities along the coast. The Italian area of Cilento (southern Tyrrhenian Sea) has the same characteristics as many other Mediterranean coastal zones in which activities, such as fishing, aquaculture and tourism are carried out. It represents a good example of what is happening in the, western and central Mediterranean Sea. Data collection and analysis used are described in detail allowing the application of the same methodology in areas having the same characteristics. In Cilento many changes have occurred during the last decades, in particular a decrease of fishing yield followed by an increase of fishing effort, a growing loss of traditional fishing methods and conflicts for fishing grounds. The artisanal fishery seems to show a positive feedback to these changes, finding alternative sources of income in tourism-related activities and adjusting itself to the fluctuation and availability of resources. (C) 2004 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.