Estimating the economic impacts of maritime port development: The case of A Coruña, Spain

Xoan R. Doldán-García, María Luisa Chas-Amil, Julia M. Touza

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

n recent years, we have seen an increasing number of port megaprojects in Spain (Ferrol, Gijón, Pasaia, Tenerife) justified, among other reasons, by the need for increasing storage and transport capacity, the location of container logistic centres on major shipping routes, or the need to have refuge harbours to avoid oil tanker accidents in case of bad sea conditions. The development of the megaproject for the A Coruña Outer Port in Galicia (northwest of Spain) is very controversial due to its major impacts on nearby fishing, and seafood banks affecting fishing and shellfish activities. We propose a methodology to assess these impacts on multi-species and multi-gear traditional fisheries. The analysis includes the impacts on over fifty fish and shellfish species (e.g. sand sole, European squid, spinous spider crab, common cuttlefish, European pilchard, pouting, gilthead sea bream, octopus, goose barnacle and seaweeds). Stakeholders' knowledge (e.g. administration, professionals, fishermen) was used to assign non-spatial commercial data (landings) to the corresponding gears employed and fishing grounds affected by the port development. Our results show that the short-term economic losses are between 2.6 and 3 million Euros (2005 prices) and are mainly related to inshore fishing activities. Our results served as a frame of reference for negotiations between representatives of the A Coruña fishermen's guild and the Port Authority. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)668-677
Number of pages10
JournalOcean & coastal management
Volume54
Issue number9
Early online date1 Jul 2011
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2011

Keywords

  • Economic impacts
  • Fishing activities
  • Fishing ground
  • environmental impact assessment
  • maritime transportation
  • Port development

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