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28/10/2026
Fishing in the Face of Climate Change Takes Centre Stage at the 9th Garraf Coastal Governance Conference
The Fishermen’s Guild of Vilanova i la Geltrú will host the in-person workshop Fishing in the Face of Climate Change: Knowledge, Governance and Adaptation on 24 November, as part of the 9th Garraf Coastal Governance Conference. Organised within the framework of the Life eCOadapt50 project, the event will focus on the challenges facing the fishing sector as a result of climate change and on the adaptation strategies being promoted by the scientific, institutional and professional communities.

The conference is aimed at municipal technical staff, representatives of public administrations and stakeholders linked to the marine and coastal environment. Its objective is to create a space for dialogue and knowledge exchange with the fishing sector, enabling participants to share experiences, analyse the impacts of environmental change on marine resources and address the challenges these pose for fishing-related economic activities. The event is organised by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Vilanova i la Geltrú City Council, the Garraf County Council and Barcelona Provincial Council, with the collaboration of the Central Coast Fisheries Local Action Group (GALP Costa Central) and the Fishermen’s Guild of Vilanova i la Geltrú.

The session will begin with a presentation of the Life eCOadapt50 project by Sílvia Castañé, project officer at Barcelona Provincial Council. This will be followed by a presentation from Mireia González, researcher at the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), who will discuss two case studies on the evolution of fishery resources and their response to climate change in Catalonia.

During the morning, several initiatives aimed at promoting more sustainable fishing practices will also be presented. Anna Soler, from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, will introduce the Garraf en Mar project, which focuses on applying scientific knowledge to fisheries planning. Xavi Socias, representing GALP Costa Central, will address the role of local governance and territorial development in ensuring the sector’s sustainability.

The conference will continue with contributions from representatives of the Vilanova Fishermen’s Guild, who will share innovation and adaptation experiences developed within the sector to respond to new environmental scenarios. Later, Lucía Martínez, from the Directorate-General for Maritime Policy and Sustainable Fisheries, will explain how co-management committees operate as an adaptive governance model to address changes affecting marine ecosystems and fishing activities.

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