The fisheries in the Basque Contry during the twentieth century. Modernization, tradicion and crisis

Abstract

This paper deals with the Basque Fisheries during the twentieth century. It contends that in that period Basque fisheries suffered dramatic changes. On the one hand, this century witnessed the development of industrial fisheries based on trawling; on the other, the transformation and modernization of coastal fisheries but without losing one of its basic identity elements: the persistence of the Guild as an organizational structure in coastal and demersal fisheries. The growth based on geographical expansion that characterized industrial fisheries had its roots on the limited extension of the continental shelf in surrounding waters. Nevertheless, it was eventually pushed and indiscriminately financed by a State policy that lacked of a real fishing policy. Finally, the expansion of the Economic Exclusive Zones of 200 miles and the integration into the European Community broke up this model of development and forced Basque fishing sector to adapt to new institutional and ecological circumstances.