Fleet structure and socio-economic disparities in spatially fragmented small-scale fisheries of an EU outermost region: implications for differentiated governance

Small-scale fisheries in EU outermost archipelagos operate under strong spatial fragmentation, limited market connectivity, and constrained opportunities for economic diversification, conditions that can amplify the socio-economic consequences of management decisions. We integrate two decades of official fleet licensing records with socio-economic survey information to characterise fleet contraction, island-level disparities, and fleet-segment performance in the Azores archipelago. The number of active vessels declined markedly between 2004 and 2024, while the fleet remained predominantly local, registered and dominated by vessels under 12 m in length, with a mean overall length of 8.5 m. Island-level disparities persisted in fleet size and composition, consistent with differences in operational range, infrastructure, and market access. Socio-economic indicators for 2018 to 2023 revealed strongly uneven outcomes among fishing techniques. Hook-and-line fleets generated 92% of total landing value and supported the highest employment, whereas purse seine, drift and/or fixed nets and polyvalent passive-gear fleets produced substantially lower income and labour engagement, reflected in smaller engaged crew and fewer national full-time equivalents. Production-standardised expenditure (cost-per-kg) showed marked variation among fleet segments, with higher unit costs generally associated with lower landing volumes and greater reliance on full-time labour structures. Landings and revenue were concentrated in a limited number of species, with 14 species accounting for 90% of landed biomass and 18 species accounting for 90% of landed value, indicating dependence on key resources and exposure to ecological or market shocks. These findings support spatially differentiated and segment-specific fisheries management in outermost regions, prioritising measures that account for island-level constraints, labour structures, and economic concentration alongside biological objectives.