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Abstract: Andalusia, Spain, has an important tradition in the fishing industry that makes it one of the areas of the European Union where fisheries policies have a great significance for the population. In order to analyse the sector, a total number of boats to be surveyed was set at 10% of the total population: 202 boats of the total of 2027 in the census. The sample was distributed among the four fishing techniques and gear. This paper deals comprehensively with the so-called “artisanal fleet”, with the aim of presenting a new approach in the policies for reducing the risk in this important fisheries sector. We discuss relevant issues related to fishing vessel safety according to the typology of the vessel. The specific risks are summarized. In each type of fishing various specific tasks have to be performed that entail characteristic kinds of risk. The paper concludes that specific risks presented in this study could contribute to maritime safety. Policy implications: policies that reduce specific risks will be effective in reducing fisherman injuries. The present study is part of the presentation of results of the research project financed by the Regional Government on the state of Safety of the artisanal or craft fishing fleet, analyzing, in this case, the typical occupational risks entailed in the fishing activity. Policymakers should find the results of this study useful in developing regulation and enforcement mechanisms for reducing fishing vessel injuries and total losses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Olive farming represents an important source of income and employment in the rural areas of Andalusia (Spain), which is the most important olive oil-producing region in the world. Unfortunately, it also exerts significant environmental pressures with regard to soil erosion, use of polluting inputs, excessive water consumption and biodiversity reduction. This paper uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) techniques and pressure distance functions to contribute a farm-level assessment of the eco-efficiency of a sample of 292 Andalusian olive farmers. We distinguish between managerial eco-efficiency and program eco-efficiency, the latter being associated to the different natural conditions prevailing in the three main olive cultivation systems in the region, namely, traditional rain-fed mountain groves, traditional rain-fed plain groves and irrigated intensive groves. Our findings show that eco-inefficient management is a widespread practice across olive farmers, mainly due to widespread technical inefficiency. Furthermore, the most eco-efficient production system is the traditional plain growing system. Finally, we find that soil-climate conditions strongly influence managerial eco-efficiency in all three aforementioned cultivation systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As fossil fuels are not only a limited resource, but also contribute to global warming, a transition towards a more sustainable energy supply is urgently needed. Therefore, today''s environmental policies are largely devoted to fostering the development and implementation of renewable energy technologies. One important aspect of this transition is the increased use of biomass to generate renewable energy. Agricultural residues are produced in huge amounts worldwide, and most of this residue is composed of biomass that can be used for energy generation. Consequently, converting this residue into energy can increase the value of waste materials and reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal. This paper analyses the situation of biomass energy resources in Andalusia, an autonomous community in the south of Spain. More specifically, biomass is the renewable source which most contributes to Andalusian energy infrastructure. The residual biomass produced in the olive sector is the result of the large quantity of olive groves and olive oil manufacturers that generate byproducts with a potentially high energy content. The generation of agricultural and industrial residues from the olive sector produced in Andalusia is an important source of different types of residual biomass that are suitable for thermal and electric energy since they reduce the negative environmental effects of emissions from fossil fuels, such as the production of carbon dioxide. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper analyses how artisanal fleets in the South Atlantic Coast of Spain (Andalusia) are transformed at the macro-level by political and economic processes. The article will first describe the web of economic and political dynamics, and it will then outline several socioeconomic and cultural patterns of artisanal fleets, examining strategies that are used to encourage commercial specialisation, technological innovation, capitalisation and productive intensification. The resulting social conflict is also examined. From such a study, this essay intends to promote a theoretical debate concerning the importance of new conceptions of artisanal fishing today, a time when local and global processes are highly interconnected. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Olive sector residues could contribute to increased use of renewable energies, especially in those areas where the olive crop is produced. This paper determines the maximum amount of electrical and thermal energy which could be obtained in Andalusia from olive sector residues, and the economic value that could be obtained from these energy uses. For this, the current data on installed power and electrical and thermal generation are compared with the calculated potential data which would be obtained at full capacity. The results show there is a 69.23% wastage of olive sector residues for energy purposes. Thus, using the resources at full capacity, 3.9 million tons of biomass per year could be obtained for energy purposes. Currently, only 2 million tons of biomass are used for energy purposes. This wastage translates into a below potential generation of electrical and thermal energy. The full use of these residues would allow 83.9% and 64.9% higher generation of electrical and thermal energy, respectively. The results obtained also show that the economic value of olive sector biomass is higher than the market price value, with the average values for each use being 248.20 €/t for domestic thermal use, 165.04 €/t for electrical use and 139.50 €/t for industrial thermal use. Thus, it is considered feasible that the olive sector biomass could be used to a greater degree than at present. In this sense, it is recommended that more electricity generation plants and thermal-generating systems be put into operation. • There is a 69.2% wastage of olive sector residues that could be used for energy purposes. • The full use of olive by-products would account for 6.2% of renewable electricity. • The full use of olive by-products would account for 26.7% of thermal generation. • Better use of residues would promote the start-up of 55 and 1762 electricity and thermal plants, respectively. • The economic value of olive sector biomass allows the value chain to be covered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]