The theory of “the more we fish, the more we earn” has long been disproved, not only by the scientific community, but also by the increasingly empty fishing nets of the fishers themselves.
It is commonly known that, in combination with the most critical problem of marine pollution, overfishing has led fish stocks to collapse, not only in regard to catch numbers but also to biomass. The need to transfer scientific data and consequently change our behaviour horizontally has become very clear: consumers (let’s not forget that to a large extent we are the ones shaping demand), fishmongers, restaurant owners, fishers. The state needs to motivate and educate the fishers, by proposing new tools and methodologies and alternative practices, like fishing tourism that contributes to the “relief” of the fish stocks and at the same time ensures less strenuous livelihoods for the fishers. Even on a strictly economic level, it must be understood, that if fishers truly comprehend the need to fish in different conditions and times that allow stocks to safely recover through breeding, the gain will be enormous.