Ambio https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01452-3 RESEARCH ARTICLE Fishers’ knowledge detects ecological decay in the Mediterranean Sea Benedetta Veneroni , Paul G. Fernandes Received: 22 June 2020 / Revised: 3 October 2020 / Accepted: 24 November 2020 Abstract The Northern Adriatic Sea (NAS) is one of the peaks of 5 °C in winter and 27 °C in summer (Russo and most overexploited marine ecosystems in Europe. Given Artegiani 1996). The region has, by far, the highest annual the gaps in scientific knowledge regarding the NAS, this production of demersal species (around 44,000 tons) in the study sought Fishers’ Ecological Knowledge (FEK) to Mediterranean (Mannini and Sabatella 2015; STECF 2016) determine NAS’ historical baselines for conservation. By and the highest number of trawlers (1043) of any European interviewing 53 fishers in three ports of northern Italy, country (Colloca et al. 2017). The NAS presents the lowest estimates of the catch rates of four commercial demersal probability of being sustainably fished (Colloca et al. species were generated over a 60-year period, and 2017), and more than 90% of its marine resources are perceptions of target and non-target species’ diversity and depleted (Lotze et al. 2011). Analytical stock assessments benthic diversity were analysed in three groups of fishers of some of the most common commercial stocks fished by (i.e. novices, experienced and veterans). Results showed a Northern Adriatic bottom-trawlers have been conducted, significant decline in perceived abundance of sole (Solea but these estimate population dynamics only as far back as solea), common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) and mantis the mid 2000s (STECF 2019). In most cases estimated shrimp (Squilla mantis), and evidence was found of a fishing mortalities (F) have been, and are, higher than the Shifting Baseline Syndrome (SBS) among novices. Given those considered to be sustainable (FMSY), such as in the FEK’s ability to complement scientific knowledge, fishers’ case of red mullet, Mullus barbatus (F/FMSY ratio of 1.2 in participation in marine management policies and 2018); in others they are very much higher, as for sole, intergenerational communication should be enhanced, to Solea solea (ratio of 3.0); and mantis shrimp, Squilla improve the status of marine ecosystems and hinder SBS. mantis (3.33). The substantial fishing pressures incurred on the NAS Keywords Biodiversity Á Fisheries Á were intensified by Italian fishers’ adoption of bottom trawl Local ecological knowledge Á Mediterranean Á gears, notably beam trawls, otter trawls (also called tar- Shifting baseline syndrome Á Trawling tana) and the rapido trawl, from the start of the 20th Century (Fortibuoni et al. 2017). Of these, the rapido is considered to exert the most disruptive effects (Pranovi INTRODUCTION et al. 2001), with its rigid mouth and iron teeth penetrating into the sediment (Giovanardi et al. 1998). The long-term Located in the Mediterranean Sea, the Northern Adriatic use of the rapido and other trawls for demersal fishing is Sea (NAS) is characterised by shallow depths (average of considered to have negatively affected not only the target 33.5 m), sandy-muddy bottoms, strong vertical stratifica- species (Barausse et al. 2011; Damalas et al. 2015) but also tion and highly variable sea surface temperatures, with non-target by-catch species such as elasmobranchs, marine mammals and diadromous fish (Abdul Malak et al. 2011; Giani et al. 2012). Furthermore, the rapido has exerted Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01452-3) contains sup- substantial pressure on the seabed and benthic macrofauna plementary material, which is available to authorized users. (Giani et al. 2012), by scraping the seafloor, disrupting bed- Ó The Author(s) 2021 www.kva.se/en 123 Ambio forms, re-suspending sediments and changing their size and similarity between terms, TEK is often used as a synonym texture (Collie et al. 1997; Pranovi 2000). These effects for LEK (Berkes 2012). When referring to fishing com- have been exacerbated by the modernisation of fishing munities and fishers, the body of LEK is also regarded as technologies (GPS systems), enhanced capacity and Fishers’ Ecological Knowledge (FEK) (Neis et al. 1999a; catchability (Damalas et al. 2015); although there is evi- Pita et al. 2020). The memory-based FEK has been adopted dence that they have been hindered by the lack of gener- to recall past environmental conditions by devising indi- ational replacement in the trawling sector labour force cators of the habitat’s pristine status, defined as historical (Buonfiglio et al. 2011). baselines (McQuatters-Gollop et al. 2019). FEK has played Our knowledge of overexploitation of NAS’ fisheries is a complementary role to traditional science systems by based on fairly recent data (Cardinale et al. 2017) and there detecting a variety of long-term changes in: ecosystems’ is a lack of information on the long-term trends of species’ structure (Viegas et al. 2016); fish catches (Beaudreau and abundance and diversity. Trends in abundance of demersal Levin 2014; Coll et al. 2014; Martins et al. 2018) and stocks in the area, by the MEDITS International Trawl benthic diversity (Bastari et al. 2017); and by providing Survey, have only been monitored regularly since 1996, information on species’ ecology and behaviour (Gaspare with the exception of two trawl surveys, one conducted in et al. 2015). The qualitative approach of FEK has improved 1948–1949 and the other in the 1980s (Jukic-Peladic et al. fisheries management (Novacek and Cleland 2001; Barclay 2001). Temporal changes in diversity of non-commercial et al. 2017; McQuatters-Gollop et al. 2019) and has benthic species have never been monitored by Italian enabled scientists to enhance sampling and formulate new fisheries agencies (Bastari et al. 2017) and trawlers’ effects hypotheses for research (Silvano and Valbo-Jørgensen on benthos’ diversity and seafloor integrity has only been 2008). The use of FEK in marine policies has consequently investigated in the last three decades (Pranovi et al. 2000; enriched fishers’ social and political role, by involving De Biasi and Pacciardi 2008; Petovic et al. 2016). To this them in decision-making processes and establishing a day, most of the benthic defaunation remains unrecorded dialogue with stakeholders (Turner et al. 2000). and no historical baselines are available to compare the Given the need to provide baselines for marine man- unexploited status of the seafloor (i.e. before the intro- agement (Hind 2015) and the positive effects of FEK’s duction of the rapido) to the present one. The lack of clear adoption in science and policy, the participation of fishing historical baselines of benthic diversity and seafloor communities in decision-making processes has been pro- integrity might have caused, among other factors, the moted across multiple international bodies. In particular, failure of NAS’ Good Environmental Status (GES), an the General Fishing Commission for the Mediterranean and objective set by the European Commission’s (EC) Marine Black Sea (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organi- Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) (Rice et al. 2012; zation of the United Nations (FAO) devised a Regional Pita et al. 2020), aiming to mitigate the anthropogenic Plan of Action for Small Scale Fisheries in the Mediter- pressure exerted on the seafloor by 2020 (Rice et al. 2010). ranean and Black Sea RPOA-SSF (2018). This denounced The weaknesses in long-term scientific data collection of the lack of recognition and involvement of resource users both target and non-target species (Carpi et al. 2017), and proposed their enhanced participation in policy-mak- impede the definition of baselines, leading to a misinter- ing at a both national and international scale, by 2028 pretation of present conditions and a flawed formulation of (GFCM 2018). With the publication of Voluntary Guide- effective conservation targets (Huntington 2000; Papworth lines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries et al. 2009). This issue is identified as Shifting Baseline (VGSSFs) the FAO has also expressed the need to recog- Syndrome (SBS), corresponding to the erroneous percep- nise fishers as ‘‘holders, providers and receivers of tion of a current biological system due to the invalid knowledge’’ and to support fishing communities’ knowl- information on its past conditions (Kahn and Friedman edge as a valuable instrument to inform local governance 1995). The involvement of fishing communities through (FAO 2015). Furthermore, the failure of the ECs Common Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) represents a valuable Fisheries Policy (CFP) to achieve catches at sustainable instrument to integrate new information into the gaps left levels by 2020 (Soma et al. 2018) has been associated with, by conventional science. among other elements, inadequate participation of resource LEK is defined as the collective environmental knowl- users in devising management measures (Carpi et al. 2017). edge of local resource users (Beaudreau and Levin 2014), Both the EC and FAO suggest enhancing FEK’s developed through human interaction with the natural involvement in national and international management environment and its biological components (Braga et al. decisions. However, Italian fishers still lack a substantial 2018). When culturally transmitted through generations, representation in marine management policies. Local fish- the cumulative knowledge of LEK is more properly defined ery cooperatives are still not incorporated in the country’s as Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). Given the policy-making, delaying a social empowerment process Ó The Author(s) 2021 123 www.kva.se/en Ambio already consolidated in other European countries (Buon- solutions to, seafloor degradation. To achieve this, a figlio et al. 2011). By building on previous studies of FEK qualitative approach was used as a well-established in the Mediterranean (Coll et al. 2014; Damalas et al. 2015) instrument for documenting change in communities’ and the Italian NAS (Azzurro et al. 2011; Bastari et al. environmental knowledge (Newing 2010).