Fisheries Policy and the Cofradas in the Basque Country: The Case of Albacore and Anchovy

Abstract

"The conditions under which Man exploits natural resources have always depended on the type of institutional regime which is in force and the different forms of ownership established throughout history. Thus, natural resources have been and continue to be exploited within varying institutional frameworks, and, what is more important, under different regimes of ownership, all of which contributes to shaping both the behaviour displayed by the agents and subsequent allocations.

"This paper aims to analyse Cofrada of the Basque Country's as a body which has in the past served to manage fishing resources under a common pool regime although we can no longer speak of common pool exploitation in the strict sense of the term, partly because of increasing outside interference. The Cofrada is made up of the artisan fleet and the surface fleet; the latter being most important in terms of workforce and income; while it is the anchovy fishers of the VIII Division and the tuna fishers that form the basis of the Cantabrian surface fleet.

"The main objective of this paper therefore, is to investigate the role of the Cofrada in the management of fishing reserves especially with reference to the tuna and anchovy fishing grounds."