Environmental and economic dynamics of the Galician fishing sector and compared perceptions of the agents involved in the value chain

This case study analyses and compares the perceptions of agents that participate in different productive and commercial processes of the fishing activity (such as small-scale fisheries, distant-water fisheries and processing and commercialisation companies). It focuses on the regional level (Galicia, NW Spain) and considers sustainability, governance and socioeconomic aspects from the perspective of socioecological systems.Results show similarities and differences in agents’ perceptions related with specific aspects and problems relevant to each group, intersectoral relations and sustainability issues. In this sense, agents share a positive perception of the sustainability objectives proposed by international organisations, as well as concerns about the uncertainty linked to globalisation processes. However, they differ in their evaluation of some specific regulatory measures. Regulatory policies could consider this information in order to achieve a greater degree of complicity and compliance by fishers and other agents of the value chain.