Inshore fisheries do not just provide for our physical needs in terms of food and livelihoods for fishers, they also contribute to benefits such as cultural identity, recreation, quality of life, heritage and social cohesion.The GIFS project, therefore, sought to explore and understand some of the social and cultural values that arise through the activity and presence of an inshore fishing fleet in coastal communities.

Sense of place in fishing communities

The concept of sense of place can be a useful tool for understanding the social and cultural values of inshore fishing. Through questionnaire surveys with both residents and tourists the contribution of fishing to sense of place in case study locations was ‘measured’ in each of the four countries. The resulting data set allowed a comparison of the contribution of inshore fishing to sense of place at different spatial scales e.g. between towns, between regions and between countries. This activity was led by University of Greenwich – School of Science, more information can be found in the final report, toolkit and interactive map.

Exploring cultural values through photography

A creative approach through photography was used to explore, visualize and communicate cultural values associated with inshore fishing. Through photography undertaken by researchers, a photo-journalist and community residents the different ways in which inshore fishing influences both the character of places and the meanings that people attach to places was explored. A method called photo-elicitation was used to determine how inshore fishing influences the way that people feel about the coastal community in which they live. Photographs were used as a visual stimulus to facilitate discussions. This activity was led by University of Greenwich – School of Science, more information can be found in the final report, toolkit and interactive map.

The role of women in fishing communities

Worldwide, women play a range of roles in fisheries, making significant contributions to the industry. But the role of women in European fisheries has remained largely unnoticed, in spite of their presence in all areas of the sector. Through an in-depth qualitative study involving interviews, focus groups and participant observation the contribution of women to fishing communities was explored. The aim was to highlight the often invisible contribution that women make so that this may be better accounted for in decision making. This activity was led by University of Greenwich – Greenwich Maritime Institute. Research sites for this action were in The Netherlands, Belgium, France and England (interactive map). Further details can be found in the toolkit.

Deliberative and participatory approaches to capture community shared values

In conjunction with the UK’s National Ecosystem Assessment Follow-On a range of deliberative and participatory methods were used as a way of assessing community shared values. The goal was to contribute to policy and planning decisions based on local knowledge and attitudes. This activity was led by University of Brighton, more information can be found in the final report, toolkit and interactive map.

Cultural heritage for new economic activities

A programme of fishing heritage-led regeneration and new economic opportunities was implemented in the historic fishing village of Arnemuiden in the Netherlands. The focus was on how fishing heritage can lead to a better future through instilling a sense of identity, pride and community-driven enterprise opportunities. This activity was led by the Municipality of Middelburg, more details can be found on the Arnemuiden case study webpage, interactive map and in the toolkit.