Understanding resilience beyond ecosystems

Resilience is shaped not only by ecosystems, but also by the local organisations that help steward them. At BiodivEarth, we seek to better understand how local organisations, alongside ecological, economic and social factors, shape resilience in socio-ecological landscapes and seascapes. Therefore, learning from the experience of communities is essential to identifying approaches that can help strengthen resilience in diverse contexts.

Cofradías de pescadores: Long-standing organisations at the heart of coastal communities

One example is Spain’s cofradías de pescadores (fishers’ guilds), organisations that have existed for centuries and continue to play a central role in the country’s fishing sector. Beyond representing fishers’ interests, they contribute to fisheries governance, preserve maritime traditions, support training and capacity building, and help adapt the sector to changing social, economic and environmental contexts.

From representation to diversification: How cofradías have evolved

Over time, many cofradías have diversified their activities, providing services such as seafood marketing, vessel maintenance, fuel supply, and even restaurant management. Through their role in connecting fishers, communities, and fisheries management systems, they remain important actors in the social and economic fabric of coastal areas.

Learning from El Hierro: Local knowledge and stewardship in action

BiodivEarth is exploring these dynamics through our pilot site in El Hierro, where we collaborate with the Cofradía de Pescadores Nuestra Señora de los Reyes. By learning from their experience and long-term stewardship of marine resources, we aim to identify practical solutions and insights that can help strengthen resilience in other socio-ecological landscapes and seascapes.

Discovering more

This article is inspired by an insightful resource developed by Pescaviable, an active member of BiodivEarth’s Community of Practice, a key partner in the research component of our project, and a close collaborator of our pilot site in El Hierro. Pescaviable shares accessible resources on fisheries governance, sustainability, seafood consumption, and fishers’ organisations.

Discover more about Pescaviable’s work