Estimating the economic impact of the Prestige oil spill on the Death Coast (NW Spain) fisheries

This paper presents an estimation of the economic effects of the Prestige oil spill in Galicia, focusing on the Death Coast fisheries and using fish landings as a market technique. Examining the evolution of landings in the Death Coast before and after the accident, the analysis reveals two opposing trends, with landings of some species increasing and those of other species diminishing. However, it is necessary to stress that the results obtained from the use of landings as a main indicator are not enough to confirm the influence of the oil spill on stocks. Moreover, these results are quite predictable, since factors such as the species relationship with substratum, their sensitivity to the polluting oil, the way they prey on one another and the fishing effort, all affect these preliminary conclusions.