Fishing tourism and fishing training in Cap de Creus as a tool for the conservation of marine ecosystems within the framework of the project “Tramuntana Dolphins”

This year, within the framework of “Tramuntana Dolphins” we are carrying out the project “Fishing with dolphins”, thanks to the support of the FLAG-FEMP of the present call for 2020, on the subject of Sustainability: Conservation and improvement of fishing resources and marine ecosystems.

The general objective of the project is to promote collaboration between scientists and professional fishermen, working together for the conservation of marine biodiversity and marine ecosystems in the Cap de Creus area. Specifically, the aim is to promote fishing tourism throughout the area, so that fishing activity can be diversified by reducing the pressure on ecosystems and, at the same time, maintaining the value of fishing at the territorial level. In addition, the aim is to encourage the reduction of by-catches and access to information in fishing interactions. Specifically, a course is being organized as well as training content on accidental capture of protected species such as dolphins and turtles and activities are being prepared in relation to fishing tourism and a digital platform will be created to encompass all proposed activities.

Since 2017, within the Tramuntana Dolphin project, SUBMON has been working with the fishing sector, especially with trawlers in the Cap de Creus area, establishing a close collaboration for the study and conservation of marine biodiversity, especially the bottlenose dolphin population, and to promote territorial development based on a model for the promotion of fishing tourism and the revalorization of the fishery product of an area with high natural, cultural and landscape values.

This project aims to continue the collaboration established with the fishing sector, strengthening the links between fishing and conservation, and establishing fishing tourism in the area, as a source of territorial development. This year the project has been selected by the Spanish Network of Fishing Groups as a reference activity of good practices: