Cen e ing coas al communi ies’ di e se economic p ac ices in he
blue economy
Anna S An ono a
a,*
, Wesley Flanne y
b
, Síl ia G´
omez
c
, Madeleine Gus a sson
d
,
Ma ia Hadjimichael
e
, B endan Mu agh
b
, K is en Ounanian
, Sunni a Solnø
d
,
Vida Ma ia Daae S ei o
g
, K is ina S els
h
a
Rachel Ca son Cen e o En i onmen and Socie y, LMU Munich, Leopolds . 11a, D-80802 Munich, Ge many
b
School o Na u al and Buil En i onmen , Queen’s Uni e si y Bel as , S anmillis Rd, Bel as BT9 5AG, UK
c
Depa amen d’An opologia Social i Cul u al, Uni e si a Au `
onoma de Ba celona, Ce danyola del Vall`
es, Ba celona 08193, Spain
d
Ru alis - Ins i u e o Ru al and Regional Resea ch, Lohol Alle 81, 7049 T ondheim, No way
e
Cyp us Ma ine and Ma i ime Ins i u e, Vasileos Pa lou Squa e 13, La naca 6023, Cyp us
Cen e o Blue Go e nance, Depa men o Sus ainabili y and Planning, Aalbo g Uni e si y, Rendsbu ggade 14, Le el 3, 9000 Aalbo g, Denma k
g
No dlands o skning (NRI), No d Uni e si y, Uni e si e salleen 11, 8049 Bodø, No way
h
Na u al Resou ces Ins i u e Finland (Luke), La oka anonkaa i 9, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland
ARTICLE INFO
Keywo ds:
Di e se economies
Blue economy
Coas al communi ies
Commoning
Economic geog aphy
ABSTRACT
Despi e hei s a ed commi men o sus ainable economic de elopmen , blue economy and blue g ow h agendas
ha e been c i icized o eplica ing he same unlimi ed g ow h pa adigm hey pu po o eplace, disempowe ing
local communi ies. By con as , di e se economies li e a u e ad oca es looking o communi ies’ p ac ices o
iden i y al e na i e, socially and en i onmen ally g ounded, economic possibili ies. In line wi h ha schola ship,
his a icle calls o a e-en isioning o he blue economy h ough he eyes o coas al communi ies and hei socio-
ecological ela ions. We d aw on local knowledge acqui ed om esea ch we ha e conduc ed in six coas al
communi ies ac oss Eu ope – Bu gas (Bulga ia); Connema a (I eland); T æna (No way); Åland (Finland); Cap de
C eus (Spain); and Eas e n Limassol (Cyp us). F om mobilizing social en e p ises and commoning p ac ices o
widening he blue economy’s goals o comp ise en i onmen al ca e and collec i e wellbeing, hese communi ies’
economic p ac ices ocus no only on e aining alue a he local le el, bu also on ad ancing socie al and
en i onmen al goals. The a icle in es iga es he possibili ies and challenges ha hese expe iences sugges o
he blue economy, aising ques ions abou he po en ial o di e se blue economies.
1. In oduc ion
O e he las decade, policy in e es in he blue economy has spiked,
b inging oge he in ensi ying capi alis a en ion o a wide ange o
indus ies: om ma ine ishe ies and aquacul u e, h ough o sho e
ene gy gene a ion and deep seabed mining, o ma i ime anspo and
coas al ou ism (Eu opean Commission, 2025). Howe e , despi e hei
s a ed commi men o sus ainable economic de elopmen , blue econ-
omy and blue g ow h agendas ha e been c i icized o eplica ing he
same unlimi ed g ow h pa adigm hey pu po o adjus . C i ics ha e
poin ed ou ha an economic logic es ing on he pu sui o limi less
g ow h ine i ably bo h ha ms he en i onmen and disempowe s com-
muni ies (Ba besgaa d, 2018; Benne e al., 2022; Eikese e al., 2018;
E ¨
o & Hadjimichael, 2020; Hadjimichael, 2018a; Mallin & Ba bes-
gaa d, 2020). Fu he , c i ics ha e a gued ha a jus blue economy could
only be success ul i i o eg ounds en i onmen al jus ice and empowe s
communi ies (Benne e al., 2022; Pa i e al., 2023) ollowing a e ised
economic logic no based on he cu en commi men o endless g ow h
(E ¨
o & Hadjimichael, 2020; Hadjimichael, 2018a).
In his a icle, we ad ance hese discussions by in e sec ing hem
wi h di e se economies schola ship. Speci ically, we ake on di e se
economies heo is s’ call o e hink he concep ual ounda ions o wha
* Co esponding au ho .
E-mail add esses: [email p o ec ed] (A.S. An ono a), [email p o ec ed] (W. Flanne y), [email p o ec ed] (S. G´
omez), madeleine.gus a sson@
u alis.no (M. Gus a sson), [email p o ec ed] (M. Hadjimichael), [email p o ec ed] (B. Mu agh), [email p o ec ed] (K. Ounanian), sunni a.
[email p o ec ed] (S. Solnø ), [email p o ec ed] (V.M.D. S ei o), [email p o ec ed] (K. S els).
Con en s lis s a ailable a ScienceDi ec
Geo o um
jou nal homepage: www.else ie .com/loca e/geo o um
h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.geo o um.2025.104410
Recei ed 28 No embe 2024; Recei ed in e ised o m 29 Augus 2025; Accep ed 9 Sep embe 2025
Geo o um 166 (2025) 104410
A ailable online 15 Sep embe 2025
0016-7185/© 2025 The Au ho s. Published by Else ie L d. This is an open access a icle unde he CC BY license ( h p://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by/4.0/ ).
“coun s” as an economic ela ion and place he ocus on communi y-
d i en ac i i ies ha o eg ound social needs and en i onmen al
eplenishmen a he han p o i (Colla d & Dempsey, 2020; Roel nik
e al., 2015). By b inging hese insigh s o bea on he blue economy
agenda, we no only expand upon c i ical analyses o he blue economy
and blue g ow h agendas bu also con ibu e o long lines o schola ship
ha ha e ocused on he conce ns o coas al communi ies, bo h wi hin
bu also going beyond small-scale ishing communi ies (G´
omez, 2022;
Gus a sson e al., 2021; Ounanian & Howa d, 2024).
Th ough ou analysis, we a gue o he ele ance o coas al com-
muni ies as ap cases o ad ancing he ele ance o di e se economies
schola ship o p essing con empo a y challenges. Coas al communi ies
ha e long been geog aphically ma ginal and ace heigh ened ulne a-
bili y o en i onmen al change and injus ice (Benne e al., 2022; Bly he
e al., 2023; Ounanian & Howells, 2024). A he same ime, as liminal
a eas be ween solid and luid, e es ial and oceanic spaces, he
coas lines o e unique oppo uni ies o decen e and eimagine socie al
cons uc s (F ei as e al., 2022; Wes e dahl, 2007). This applies espe-
cially o e hinking economic ela ions. Coas al and ma i ime spaces
ha e long adi ions o public us and communal p ope y owne ship
bu , in ecen decades, ha e aced inc easing enclosu e ia p essu es like
gen i ica ion, p i a iza ion including he in oduc ion o ishing quo as,
o eso i ica ion (Hadjimichael, 2018b; Mallin & Ba besgaa d, 2020;
Ounanian & Howells, 2024). Despi e his, as ou a icle will show,
con empo a y coas al communi ies e ain p ac ices ha esis o
e ame hese economic p essu es. As a eas s eeped in speci ic adi ions
wi h communal o public us esou ce managemen and ich in expe-
iences wi h enclosu e ac oss bo h he ma i ime and he li o al space,
coas al communi ies ha e unique concep ualiza ions o economic and
alue ela ions o o e o he li e a u e (An ono a, 2024; Hadjimichael,
2018b; Mallin & Ba besgaa d, 2020; Ounanian & Howells, 2024). Ye ,
ba ing some no able excep ions (An ono a, 2024; G´
omez, 2022; Mallin
& Ba besgaa d, 2020), coas al communi ies a ely ea u e as he ocus o
di e se economies o economic geog aphy li e a u es mo e gene ally.
We add ess his gap by ocusing on he communi y p ac ices in six
case s udies o coas al communi ies ac oss Eu ope: Bu gas, Bulga ia;
Connema a, I eland; T æna, No way; Åland, Finland; Cap de C eus,
Spain; and Eas e n Limassol, Cyp us. Toge he , hese case s udies o e a
di e se ange o bo h economic p ac ices and non-ma ke alues, which
al e na i ely eclaim o di e si y he egional i e a ions o he dominan
(blue) economy. We illus a e hese expe iences in de ail. By ele a ing
exis ing communi y knowledge wi hin he blue g ow h agenda, we hope
o enable e hical, jus , and mu ually cons i u i e social and ecological
ela ions in a mo e b oadly concei ed blue economy. Howe e , ou
a icle also aises ques ions as o he scalabili y o di e se p ac ices
beyond he communi y le el. Fu he , we also deba e he inhe en en-
sions in ol ed wi h cons uc ing a success ul blue economy ha se iously
conside s local economic di e si y.
2. Theo e ical backg ound: A di e se economies app oach o he
blue economy agenda
Eme ging om eminis poli ical economy, di e se economies li e -
a u e a gues ha he con empo a y concep ualiza ion o “ he economy”
is a ela i ely mode n cons uc and ha nei he neolibe al capi alism
no i s pe cei ed bene i s a e monoli hic (Gibson-G aham, 1996;
MacKenzie e al., 2007; Mi chell, 2008). Feminis schola s ha e shown
how an enclosu e o economic hough pa alleled he enclosu e o
common lands (Fede ici, 2004; Gibson-G aham & Mille , 2015). As a
esul , al hough capi alis p oduc ion and p o i can be shown o es on
a wide se o social ela ions and ma e ial eali ies—like he wo k o
social ep oduc ion, ca e wo k, o he sus aining ole o li e-gi ing sys-
ems—capi alis logic has ended o ea hese as ex e nali ies o which
i a ely asc ibes mone a y o concep ual wo h (Fede ici, 2004; Gibson-
G aham, 1996; Gibson-G aham & Mille , 2015; Mies, 2014).
By con as , he commons in bo h i s ma e ial and imma e ial
exp essions is cha ac e ized as a ela ional p ocess, o en a s uggle,
in ol ing he nego ia ion o access, use, bene i , ca e, and esponsibili y
(Gibson-G aham e al., 2016). Hence, he commons and he concep o
commoning, de ined as he e e yday p ac ice o making and e-making
he commons, could suppo di e se economies in examining socio-
na u al ans o ma ions and exposing issues o inequali y, powe , and
p i ilege (Clemen e al., 2019; Healy e al., 2021). Eme ging om hese
obse a ions, di e se economies schola ship engages s ongly wi h
no icing, gi ing a en ion o, and upli ing he wide a ie y o economic
p ac ices ha al eady exis on he g ound (Gibson-G aham, 1996; 2014;
Gibson-G aham & Domb oski, 2020). Empowe men o hose la gely
excluded by he cu en concep ualiza ion o economic hough and
ins i u ions is cen al o di e se economic schola s’ agenda (Bauha d &
Ha cou , 2019; We ne e al., 2017).
Reading o di e ence alongside he ask o unde s anding hege-
monic o ces equally applies o he ealm o ma ine go e nance
(Boucquey, 2019). As McA ee and Flanne y ha e no ed (2022), he
dis ancing o coas al communi ies om economic knowledge has played
an impo an ole in hei ma ginaliza ion. Empowe ing communi ies in
he blue economy, ead h ough a di e se economies lens, means no
only upli ing hei exis ing p ac ices bu also ac i a ing al e na i e
o ms o knowledge. This ask includes ecological knowledge and he
di e se economic p ac ices g ounded in communi ies’ ela ions wi h and
wi hin hei en i onmen . Di e se economies schola s ha e con es ed
he dominan iew ha ends o concei e ecologies as “na u al e-
sou ces” ex e nal o he p ocess o p oduc ion and consump ion in he
economy and ad oca ed o a heo e ical pe spec i e ha en isions
economic ac i i y as including, bu also going beyond, he wo k ha
humans do and how hey a e ‘making a li ing’ by p oducing, consuming,
and dis ibu ing as pa o hei “socio-na u al becomings” (Gibson-
G aham & Mille 2015; Kay & Kenney-Laza , 2017; Mille , 2019). In his
way, hese schola s show how ecology can d i e socie al adap a ion and
e ain li elihoods, he eby making he “economy” o dina ily dependen
on he mo e- han-human. These obse a ions open an impo an c i ical
pe spec i e on he blue economy agenda, which seeks o mobilize blue
space o economic g ow h (Mallin & Ba besgaa d, 2020).
In sho , di e se economies heo ies uphold a b oade se o eco-
nomic alues han hose de ined by neolibe al ma ke exchange wo h
(Gibson-G aham, 1996; 2014; Gibson-G aham & Domb oski, 2020;
Gibson-G aham & Mille , 2015; Roel nik e al., 2015). Analy ical wo k
in he ield has shown how communi y p ac ices can engage wi h he
dual meaning o he wo d “ alue”—in i s i e a ion as bo h a mone a y
and a mo al signi ie (Bauha d & Ha cou , 2019; Colla d & Dempsey,
2020). Di e se economies schola ship has ended o s addle he line
be ween e o ming and con es ing capi alism. Theo is s in he ield
ei he call o widening he scope o wha ge s alued wi hin capi alism
o also comp ise labo s o ca e, us , ecip oci y, and en i onmen al
eplenishmen (Kay & Kenney-Laza , 2017) o else o disman ling
capi alis s uc u es al oge he and de eloping pos capi alis possibil-
i ies in hei s ead (Roel nik e al., 2015; Zanoni e al., 2017). Howe e ,
he possible combina ions and clashes be ween adical deg ow h li e -
a u e and di e se economies app oaches ha e a ely been explo ed
(Smi h, 2024). Thus, while he blue g ow h agenda has al eady been
c i icized om a deg ow h pe spec i e (E ¨
o & Hadjimichael, 2020;
Hadjimichael, 2018a), a di e se economies ake on he blue economy is
s ill la gely lacking. Ou con ibu ion add esses his gap.
3. Me hodology and esea ch con ex
In his a icle, we en e hese discussions h ough he pe spec i e o
six coas al communi ies and hei p ac ices a ge ed a ei he eclaiming
o di e si ying he (blue) economy. Ou analysis d aws on da a collec ed
du ing 2022–2024 as pa o he Ho izon Eu ope unded p ojec ,
Empowe Us, which sough o encou age and acili a e ansi ions o-
wa ds mo e jus and sus ainable coas al economies in co-c ea i e wo k
wi h local case s udy eams. The p ojec eam selec ed he six case
A.S. An ono a e al.
Geo o um 166 (2025) 104410
2
s udies illus a i e o he challenges aced by o he communi ies a ound
each o Eu ope’s sea basins: he A lan ic (Connema a), Bal ic Sea
(Åland), Black Sea (Bu gas), Medi e anean (Cap de C eus and Eas e n
Limassol) and A c ic (T æna) (Fig. 1). These con ex s exempli y a c oss-
sec ion o coas al communi ies in Eu ope, exhibi ing a ia ion in e ms
o hei speci ic geog aphy and popula ion. Some, like Bu gas and
Eas e n Limassol, a e u ban o semiu ban in cha ac e : Bu gas is Bul-
ga ia’s ou h- la ges ci y wi h 200,000 inhabi an s, while Eas e n
Limassol is a de eloping egion in Cyp us’ second-la ges u ban a ea
(Limassol’s popula ion is abou 100,000). O he s, like Cap de C eus and
Connema a, a e less popula ed a eas ( espec i ely a abou 30,000 and
15,000 inhabi an s) cha ac e ized by hei signi ican na u al he i age
and adi ional p ac ices: Connema a, home o I eland’s la ges Gael-
ach (I ish-speaking a ea), is well-known o i s wild coas al landscapes,
whe eas Cap de C eus is a na u al pa k wi h s ong ishing and ho i-
cul u e he i age. T æna and Åland, inally, a e a chipelagos cha ac e -
ized by hei emo eness and ela i ely low popula ion numbe s: Åland’s
ca. 30,000 inhabi an s a e sp ead ac oss 60 popula ed islands, he
la ges o which, Ma iehamn, has a popula ion o 12,000; whe eas he
popula ion o T æna municipali y is only abou 450 (Flanne y e al.,
2023). Thus, oge he he case s udies span a spec um om u ban o
u al, densely o sca cely popula ed, ne wo ked o emo e, and no he n
o sou he n, allowing o cha ac e is ics obse ed ac oss all six o be
b oadly gene alizable.
The wide p ojec d ew on an adap ed li ing lab app oach, whe e
academic and local o ganiza ions de eloped local pa ne ships o
design, es , and e alua e solu ions o sus ainable coas al de elopmen
h ough communi y empowe men (Flanne y e al., 2023; Gus a sson &
Solnø , 2022; Sø ensen e al., 2025). By de eloping o mal academic-
local collabo a ions in each con ex , he p ojec eam sough o adop
he s eng h o he li ing lab app oach in ad ancing co-p oduc i e
expe imen a ion bu also o add ess i s ecognized weaknesses in
e ms o ensu ing longe i y o i s esul s ( on Wi h e al., 2019; Voy-
enko e al., 2015).
As pa o he p ojec ’s adap ed li ing labs app oach, we de eloped
wo kshops o discuss challenges and co-design pilo p ojec s o be es ed
wi hin he p ojec ime ame. These wo kshops aimed o include he
wides possible spec um o local s akeholde ep esen a i es as de ined
by he p ojec ’s local pa ne s, ollowing c i ical p inciples o lea ing no-
one behind (Flanne y e al., 2023; Gus a sson & Solnøo , 2022). In
addi ion, we collec ed da a on he unc ioning o go e nance and powe
in hese six communi ies h ough a o al o 134 in-dep h in e iews wi h
key s akeholde s ac oss he public, nongo e nmen al, p i a e, and
communi y sec o s in he all and win e o 2022–2023, as well as
documen analysis and pa icipan obse a ion (in he ield, a wo k-
shops and wi hin li ing labs). In e iew pa icipan s we e selec ed ac-
co ding o a s anda dized pu posi e sampling me hodology de eloped
speci ically o he p ojec (Flanne y e al., 2023). Comp ising an o ig-
inal s akeholde mapping app oach, his sampling me hod was designed
o cap u e di e en pe spec i es ele an o each con ex ’s challenges
(Ibid). Thus, he in e iewees’ p o iles a ied locally bu always
included ep esen a i es om local, egional, and na ional go e nance
depa men s ( he public sec o ), NGO membe s, businesses, ci izen as-
socia ions, and people inhabi ing he case s udy a eas and ela ed use s
o he sea mo e gene ally (see Table 1). These in e iews we e con-
duc ed acco ding o na ionally applicable e hical s anda ds in each
con ex , wi h o mal e hical e iew comple ed by he espec i e e-
sea che s’ ins i u ions whe e equi ed.
Documen analysis was also conduc ed as pa o he same p ocess.
These documen s we e likewise selec ed ia a pu posi e app oach and
comp ised na ional, egional, and local policies, plans, p og ams, and
ele an legisla ion. The scope also in ol ed egula o y p ocesses,
including En i onmen al and S a egic En i onmen al Planning assess-
men s, zoning egula ions, and planning appeals cases. Toge he wi h
he in e iew da a, hese documen s we e analyzed h ough a discou se
analysis app oach ha explo ed, abo e all, si es o a gumen a ion, i.e.,
conc e e s akeholde na a i es and hei in e ac ion wi h con lic ing o
compe ing na a i es (Flanne y e al., 2023). Fo his a icle, gi en i s
o e a ching scope ac oss all six case s udies, we p esen p edominan ly
agg ega e in o ma ion o illus a e eme ging hemes and ha e used
di ec ci a ions om ac oss hese ma e ials spa ingly.
As is ypical o many coas al a eas (Benne e al., 2022; Bly he e al.,
2023; Ounanian & Howells, 2024), he six case s udies sha e conce ns
wi h changing demog aphic s uc u es, especially he ou mig a ion o
you h, wi h he a ailabili y o a o dable housing, wi h a limi ed labo
ma ke , and wi h he heal h o hei local ecosys ems, especially in he
con ex o he changing clima e (Flanne y e al., 2023). Fu he , as he
a icle will show, an impo an common heme eme ging om he da a
collec ed in all six was he conce n ha he d i e o blue g ow h has
dis anced he economy and i s bene i s om he communi ies and na -
u al landscapes ha p oduce such bene i s.
Ou wo k akes on a de ini ion o “communi y” ha ecognizes bo h
he complexi y and he po en ial o he coas al socio-ecological con ex .
Hence, we see communi ies as o ming a ound bo h sha ed meaning and
pa icipa ion in local go e nance (Ounanian e al., 2021). Acco dingly,
he communi y p ac ices we obse e, along wi h hei expe iences o he
blue economy, a e di e se. Fo he pu poses o his a icle, we ha e
agg ega ed hese pa e ns in o wo o e a ching hemes. In some o he
cases we analyze, communi ies s uggle wi h ecap u ing he mone a y,
economic alue ex ac ed by he dominan indus ies hei egional blue
economy g ow h agenda suppo s (Theme 1, “Resis ing ex ac i e blue
g ow h”). Elsewhe e, communi ies can d aw on his o ic p ac ices o
seek o wo k wi h wide in e p e a ions o economic ela ions o expose
he o en-in isible alues o ca e and sha ed socie al and ecological
wellbeing ha unde pin he exis ence o a success ul blue economy in
he i s place (Theme 2, “Cen e ing socio-ecological alues”). We p e-
sen hese di e se expe iences, d awing on examples om Bu gas,
Connema a, and T æna in he i s heme, and Åland, Cap de C eus, and
Fig. 1. Map o Eu ope indica ing he loca ion o he six coas al communi ies.
Sou ce: The Au ho s, 2025.
Table 1
Dis ibu ion o p o iles o hose in e iewed ac oss all six case s udies.
In e iewee P o ile N ac oss all six case s udies
Communi y 39
NGOs 19
Public 36
P i a e 33
O he 7
A.S. An ono a e al.
Geo o um 166 (2025) 104410
3
Eas e n Limassol in he second (see Table 2 below).
While each hema ic g ouping bes illus a es an analy ical pe -
spec i e— espec i ely o con es ing he blue g ow h pa adigm and
seeking o eclaim economic p o i (Bulga ia, I eland and No way) o o
widening he blue economy o o eg ound commoning, communi y ca e,
and o he nonmone a y alues (Finland, Spain and Cyp us)—each
sub heme is also p esen o a a ying ex en in all six case s udies.
Al oge he , he six case s udies aise ques ions abou he scale a which
he blue economy can ope a e. While we a gue ha a success ul blue
economy depends on nou ishing he di e se p ac ices gene a ed by
coas al communi ies’ unique needs – which depend on di e se indi id-
ual p ac ices – we also show how hese p ac ices can s uggle o asse
hemsel es as iable economic pa hways on he na ional o sup ana-
ional policy le el.
4. Resis ing ex ac i e blue g ow h
Fo mos coas al communi ies, he success o he blue economy is a
ma e o su i al. In he cases o Bu gas, Connema a, and T æna
desc ibed in his sec ion, de elopmen s in he ma ine and coas al sec o s
a e i al in he ace o all h ee communi ies’ p essing challenges wi h
employmen and he e en ion o young people and p o essionals.
Sp ead o e se e al islands se a a la ge dis ance om he mainland, he
municipali y o T æna is No way’s ou h leas popula ed. Like mos o
u al no he n No way, T æna has expe ienced depopula ion since he
1960 s as a consequence o g ow h in high p oduc i i y indus ies and
u baniza ion, and la ge p opo ions o you h g ow up in o mo e o he
ci y wi h li le o no connec ion o u al a eas (NOU, 2020: 15). A he
same ime, no he n No way expe iences a labo sho age. Facing
simila p essu es, Connema a is loca ed on he wes coas o I eland
along wi h i s A an Islands. The a ea is designa ed as an I ish-speaking
Gael ach —a egion o I eland whe e he I ish language is he p e-
dominan e nacula —and has his o ically s uggled wi h limi ed job
oppo uni ies beyond small-scale ishe ies and ag icul u e, and a ela ed
ou -mig a ion o young people (´
O Sabhain & McG a h, 2020). Finally,
while Bu gas on he Black Sea coas is Bulga ia’s ou h-bigges ci y, and
hus compa a i ely less a ec ed by u al a ea dynamics, i oo s uggles
wi h limi ed di e si y and o e ing o employmen oppo uni ies, which
esul s in many young p o essionals lea ing.
These challenges, and acco dingly he local needs ha a h i ing blue
economy could suppo , a e ecognized in all h ee cases by local ci ic
and go e nance ac o s. Bu gas’ municipal de elopmen plan places an
emphasis on a ac ing digi al nomads and de eloping new oppo u-
ni ies o coas al ou ism, including business, heal h, and cul u al
ou ism (Bu gas Municipali y, 2021). In No way, blue g ow h is mean
o make emo e communi ies mo e a ac i e and c ea e oppo uni ies
o li ing “ he good li e” all o e No way, ocusing on de elopmen and
alue c ea ion h ough inc eased a ailabili y o jobs, housing, and se -
ices (No wegian Minis y o Local Go e nmen and Regional
De elopmen , 2023). While he municipal socie al plan does no e e o
blue g ow h speci ically, di e si ying he economy o educe ulne a-
bili y is one o he main objec i es o be eached by 2030 (T æna Mu-
nicipali y, 2017). The municipali y has in ecen yea s in es ed in a
la ge wha and welcomed new in es men s by ou ism and land-based
aquacul u e businesses. In Connema a, many o he schemes p oposed o
add ess unemploymen —including he P´
ai c na Ma a ma ine inno a ion
pa k, he Wild A lan ic Way coas al ou ism a ac ion, o sho e wind
de elopmen , and he expansion o he po —cen e on he use o ma ine
and coas al esou ces o economic de elopmen . The isions o de el-
opmen in each con ex hus depend on mo e oppo uni ies and mo e
g ow h, echoing wha Gibson-G aham (1996: 7) ha e iden i ied as he
“he oic” na a i e o capi alism as he ul ima e ec o o mode ni y and
p ospe i y.
Un o una ely, in all h ee cases, he blue g ow h agenda has
exhibi ed some ex ac i e cha ac e is ics—albei o di e en ex en s. In
I eland and Bulga ia, especially, his pa e n is highly p onounced as ew
o he p o i s om he coas al ou ism indus y emain wi h he com-
muni ies hemsel es, while he consequences emain locally el . In
Bulga ia, he dominance o he ou is and specula i e p ope y in-
dus ies, leading o o e in es men in u ban and ou ism de elopmen
o e he la e 1990 s and h oughou he 2000 s, esul ed in apid and
high le els o u baniza ion along he coas line, as well as sweeping
landscape change (An ono a & an Dam, 2022; An ono a, 2024). The
p o i gains a ely s ay wi hin local communi ies since he la ge p op-
e ies do no end o be locally owned (S anche e al., 2015; Yane ,
2019) and many in e locu o s in Bu gas eel ha en ep eneu ship has
been aliena ed om local communi ies and ha economic policy on he
coas line suppo s he sho - e m gains o “businessmen businessmen-ing”
(In e iew, 2023). Simila o Bu gas, in Connema a, second home
owne ship, Ai bnb p ope ies, and p i a e en ing ha e es ic ed
housing supply o local people and d i en up p ices. This endency adds
o he blue indus ies’ wide ma e ial and imma e ial p essu es on he
coas line, om “ghos ” es a es o eelings o los landscape iden i y (Pa i
e al., 2023). As in Bu gas, he e o e, he consequences o blue g ow h
indus ies’ alue being aken away om he communi y a e all he wo se
o he communi y’s dependence on he blue economic sec o .
While he ex ac ion o p o i om he local communi y seems o be
less p onounced in T æna, conce ns wi h he nega i e consequences o
blue g ow h likewise ha e been sha ed by local ac o s. In in e iews,
some sha ed seeing he municipali y as “being blinded by ou side cap-
i al” and “sell[ing] [ hei ] soul a li le bi ,” while o he s disclosed eel-
ings o T æna’s “moun ains, […] clean ai , clean ocean” being exploi ed
(In e iews, 2023). Indeed, T æna’s de elopmen has s a egic ele-
ance in na ional and egional plans (as opposed o jus local egional
plans) because he blue g ow h po en iali ies in no he n No way a e
seen as c ucial o ansi ioning he economy owa ds a low-emission
socie y (No wegian Minis ies, 2017; No wegian Minis y o T ade, In-
dus y and Fishe y & Minis y o Pe oleum and Ene gy, 2017). In sho ,
T æna aces po en ial blue economy p essu es on i s coas line and i s
communi ies simila o hose ha a e al eady el in Bu gas and
Connema a.
4.1. Reclaiming economic p o i h ough social en e p ises and
ins i u ionalized communi y p ac ices
Gi en he blue economy’s impo ance o all h ee con ex s, local
ini ia i es in Bu gas, Connema a, and T æna inc easingly u n o social
en e p ises aimed a e aining alue om blue indus ies wi hin he
coas al communi y. De ined as ading businesses owned collec i ely by
local people, a he han sha eholde s, social en e p ises align di ec ly
wi h models de ined by di e se economies app oaches. They do so in a
numbe o ways: hey ein es hei p o i s o social pu poses; p omo e
a di e en o m o e hical a he han inancial alue; ha e an explici
conce n o en i onmen al esou ces; and p o ide goods and se ices
based on wha people need, a he han o p o i (Ridley-Du & Bull,
Table 2
Summa y o he wo concep ual hemes, hei ea u es, and he coas al com-
muni ies/case s udies and hei p ac ices.
Theme Fea u es/P ac ices Coas al communi y/case
s udy
Resis ing ex ac i e
blue g ow h
Reclaiming economic
p o i
Social en e p ises
Ins i u ionalized
communi y p ac ices
Bu gas municipali y, Bulga ia
(Bu gas)
Connema a Gael ach , I eland
(Connema a)
T æna municipali y, No way
(T æna)
Cen e ing socio-
ecological alues
Commoning
Communi y ca e
Mul ispecies ela ions
Åland islands, Finland
(Åland)
Cap de C eus peninsula, Spain
(Cap de C eus)
Eas e n Limassol egion,
Cyp us (Eas e n Limassol)
A.S. An ono a e al.
Geo o um 166 (2025) 104410
4
2019). The ex en o which hese app oaches a e adop ed in o local
go e nance di e s in all h ee con ex s. In Bulga ia, hey a e almos
exclusi ely bo om-up, while in Connema a and T æna, egional o
municipal policy ac o s suppo hei es ablishmen . Howe e , in all
h ee cases, mobilizing (o emobilizing) he social en e p ises wo ks
owa d building mo e solida i y-o ien ed economic p ac ices on he
coas o e ain alue wi hin he communi y.
The ypes o social en e p ises ad anced in each o hese commu-
ni ies di e . No ably, in Bulga ia, coope a i es we e well-es ablished
h oughou he coun y and on i s Black Sea coas line p e-socialism
(An ono a, 2024). In he con empo a y con ex , local p ac ices ha
aim o s eng hen he Bu gas communi y’s economic agency o en
o eg ound social equi y, en i onmen al eplenishmen , and en i on-
men al educa ion in pa e ns akin o hose o he p e-socialis co-
ope a i es. Simila o he coope a i e model and examples iden i ied by
di e se economies schola s (Gibson-G aham 1996; Gibson-G aham &
Domb oski, 2020), hese al e na i e p ac ices o en unc ion wi hin he
exis ing dominan economic sys em e en while con es ing i s ex ac i e
logic. Fo example, one Bu gas en ep eneu de eloped a sea ood
es au an ha se es only p oduc s de eloped om sus ainably a med
ish, whe e educa ional lunches and cooking lessons o child en, as well
as music e enings o adul s, a e equen ly held. While he es au an
p io i izes a ange o social unc ions, i ne e heless also unc ions as an
o e ing wi hin he local ou is landscape. Simila ini ia i es o e-
g ounding socie al o en i onmen al alues ha e been de eloped o a e
in de elopmen wi hin he con ex s o eco ou ism and na u e conse -
a ion (An ono a, 2024).
In Connema a, he semi-s a e agency esponsible o economic
de elopmen ac oss Gael ach a eas, Úda ´
as na Gael ach a (Úda ´
as),
launched a new social en e p ise s a egy in 2022 (Úda ´
as na Gael-
ach a, 2022). The 18 social en e p ises Úda ´
as iden i ies in he Gael-
ach ha e a ixed asse base o
€
15.4 m and g oss p o i s o
€
452,000 o
31 % o u no e . While he social en e p ise sec o is no nume ically
la ge, i is asse - ich, p o i able, and ope a es a scale. The social en-
e p ises ope a ing in Connema a can be ca ego ized in h ee di e en
ways. Some a e communi y ancho o ganiza ions, which a e mul i-
unc ion, e i o ial businesses ha p o ide a mix o se ices including
indus ial uni s, wo k in eg a ion, anspo and housing. O he s can be
iewed as ansi ion p ojec s, which end o concen a e on he i age-
based ou ism and in pa icula , language educa ion, al hough he e is
also an eme ging communi y ene gy sec o , especially on he islands.
Finally, some social en e p ises in Connema a a e eme ging p ojec s,
compa a i ely smalle , o en by localized g oups, ha engage wi h ade
bu a e mo e elian on g an aid and ocus mainly on communi y and
social p og ams. These a ying p ojec s aim a di e en goals, like
p o ec ing and enhancing he I ish language; inc easingly, hey di e si y
in o ou ism, walking and glamping holidays, and in e p e i e he i age,
based on he cul u al his o y o he Wes Coas . To illus a e, Ven u e
Ou Wilde ness was o med in 2015 as “a socially-jus , sus ainable so-
cie y, mo e in eg a ed wi h na u e and he ou doo en i onmen ”
(Ven u e Ou Wilde ness P ojec , n.d.). They ake a pe son-cen e ed
app oach o men al heal h, suppo ing indi idual esilience and build-
ing emo ional in elligence h ough engagemen wi h na u e. The
connec ion be ween “blue heal h,” use o he ou doo s and a social en-
e p ise model unde sco es he po en ial o na u e-based solu ions
ac oss coas al communi ies (Hudson e al., 2022).
In Connema a, whe e social en e p ise ini ia i es a e pa ially
o malized h ough he suppo o a semi-s a e agency. By con as , in
T æna communi y p ac ices ha seek o e ain alue om he blue
economy ecei e backing om local go e nance. T æna’s municipal
plan does no explici ly engage wi h “blue g ow h,” bu highligh s
quali y o li e and he cul u al sec o as impo an aspec s o socie al
de elopmen , and ecognizes ha “ adi ional economic de elopmen ,
whe e he main ocus is o inc ease he numbe o jobs, is no longe
su icien o appea a ac i e,” (T æna Municipali y, 2017). In e iews
conduc ed wi h T æna communi y membe s align wi h hese iews,
which see ulne abili y in elying on a ew co ne s one companies based
on p ima y indus ies (In e iews, 2023). Simila o he case o Bu gas,
al e na i e o non-p o i economic ac i i ies li e alongside o -p o i
indus ies in T æna. This coexis ence can be illus a ed by he o gani-
za ion T æna es i alen, a non-p o i music es i al ha d aws housands
o isi o s e e y summe and hence con ibu es o a g ea p opo ion o
o he local businesses’ u no e . The es i al is embedded in T æna’s
unique geog aphical, ecological and his o ical se ing, and con ibu es
o building p ide and iden i y in he local communi y. I s uniqueness is
also ecognized by in e na ional media ou le s (Coldwell, 2015; B u on,
2019). The es i al’s su plus suppo s local ac i i ies and communi y
g oups, such as he you h club, and inances communi y buildings. Many
o he 450 inhabi an s olun ee du ing he es i al, oge he wi h
people om he es o he coun y and ab oad. A he same ime, he
communi y has pushed back agains he es i al g owing oo la ge and
pu ing p essu e on he dugnadsånd (spi i o collec i e, common e o
o communi y olun ee ing, a his o ical, cul u al p ac ice in No way)
(Simon & Mobekk, 2019). I s o ganize s ha e es uc u ed i o make i
smalle , no ing ha “Sus ainabili y is now mo e impo an han e e nal
g ow h” (In e iew, 2023). Thus, he es i al’s managemen ecognizes
an economic agenda and unc ion o he ini ia i e ha de ia es om a
ision o simple g ow h and ins ead p io i izes suppo ing he local
communi y.
While hese ini ia i es o e cons uc i e new pa hways o each o
he h ee communi ies, he e a e also isks wi h he social en e p ise
sec o in he de elopmen o di e se economies. No all businesses will
su i e; while some ac o s like Úda ´
as in Connema a o he T æna es-
i alen in T æna ha e been able o c ea e a sus ainable co e o ins i u-
ionalized communi y p ac ices h ough social en e p ises, ailu es and
skills gaps in hese p ocesses emain. The e a e also issues o scale and
he ex en o which hese kinds o social p ac ices ha e less pene a ion
in alue-added sec o s whe e sala ies and p o i s a e highe . Fu he -
mo e, issues a ise i he sec o is posi ioned as an al e na i e o wel a e,
enabling he s a e o wi hd aw om i s commi men s and o load e-
sponsibili y o incomes, se ices and in pa icula social ca e. The po-
en ial o displacemen wi hin and be ween di e se economy sec o s is
an issue in scaling al e na i es o he ma ke . Enabling ne wo ks o
unde s and hei ela ionship o s a e and p i a e ma ke s is pa o he
con inuing poli ical and echnical educa ion needs o a mo e socially
engaged economy. Thus, in all h ee cases, he o maliza ion o com-
muni y p ac ices and social en e p ises aims o e ain p o i s om he
blue economy wi hin he communi y, he eby ocusing on ecap u ing
and ein es ing p ima ily mone a y alue in he local con ex as a way o
accomplishing socie al o en i onmen al goals.
5. Cen e ing socio-ecological alues in he blue economy
Fo his nex sec ion, we shi ou a en ion o h ee cases in which
local ini ia i es con es o shape he egional blue economy by o e-
g ounding alues ou side mone a y gain, such as ca e, ecological
eplenishmen , o communi y wellbeing. In wo o hese cases, Åland
and Cap de C eus, hese e o s a e ad anced by local communi ies’
abili y o ely on s ong adi ions o he commons and commoning
p ac ices. Bo h Åland and Cap de C eus seek o e ain hese p ac ices and
he non-mone a y alues hey gene a e agains ex e nal p essu es. By
con as , he case we desc ibe in Eas e n Limassol deba es al e na i e
economic imagina ies as a way o b idging wide gaps in he socio-
ecological ab ic o i s coas line, such as con adic o y blue economy
de elopmen p ojec s and he missing connec ion be ween local com-
muni ies and he sea. Toge he , he h ee cases show how each com-
muni y’s ma e ial links o i s coas , along wi h he in angible bene i s
hey b ing, can in luence bo h he di ec ion o he local blue economy
and i s challenges.
In Åland, he alue om he egional blue economy’s d i ing
o ce—cap u e ishe ies and ish a ming—is e ained by communi ies
hanks o adi ional p ac ices o commoning and wa e owne ship.
A.S. An ono a e al.
Geo o um 166 (2025) 104410
5
Sp ead o e mo e han 6,700 islands, 60 o which a e popula ed by
30,344 inhabi an s (ÅSUB, 2021), he p o ince o Åland is an au ono-
mous, demili a ized, and Swedish-speaking egion consis ing o almos
90 % wa e . Acco dingly, i s ishe ies and ish a ming a e o less
impo ance o he na ional economy, bu o subs an i e impo ance in
e ms o local cul u e, iden i y, and economy, wi h local people in he
a chipelago o en ishing o household consump ion and iden i ying
s ongly wi h he ishing ole, e.g., “I only know abou ishing cod”
(In e iew, 2023). C ucially, hese local communi ies a e also wa e
owne s wi h he igh s and obliga ions no only o ish bu also ake pa
in local ishe ies managemen (S els, 2017). As elsewhe e in Finland,
he Ålandic coas al and inland wa e s ha e adi ionally been unde
p i a e owne ship and associa ed wi h he possession o land (S els &
Åke lund, 2018). Today, he commons a e ins i u ed unde he Finnish
Law o Commons (Finlex, 1989) and he wa e commons on Åland a e
egula ed by he Åland Fishe ies Law (Go e nmen Åland, 1954). While
wa e owne s do no always ha e any pe sonal in e es in ishe ies,
many o he ac i e decision-make s a e ypically local household ishe s.
As la ge local wa e owne s, he commons a e powe ul local s ake-
holde s, wi h bo h access o and con ol o wa e and land (S els &
Åke lund, 2018). They a e hus disposed o d aw a signi ican s eam o
e enue om he mul iple uses o ma ine ecosys ems and na u al
esou ces.
Simila o Åland, local communi ies in Cap de C eus ha e also
e ained a s ong agency in he shaping o he blue economy o hei
coas al en i onmen . A peninsula on he Cos a B a a in no heas e n
Ca alonia, Cap de C eus became a na u al pa k in 1998 ollowing locals’
ad ocacy o p ese e he unique na u al and cul u al he i age. T adi-
ionally an a ea o ishing and ho icul u e (e.g. ineya ds and oli e
ees), om he 1960s and 1970s, Cap de C eus has inc easingly seen
hese ac i i ies become seconda y o ou ism (G´
omez & Llo e , 2017).
This in u n has led o ishing communi ies oge he wi h local social
g oups om he ci il socie y ad oca ing o na u e p ese a ion in he
ace o g owing ou is - ela ed p essu es on he coas line, h ea ening
adi ional li elihoods such as small-scale ishing (AAVV, 2018). As in
Finland, he ishing economy in Spain has his o ical expe iences in
esou ce managemen oo ed in communi y and communal law, espe-
cially h ough ishe s’ guild ins i u ions, o Con adías (O ega, 2013).
The Con adías main ain hei social and economic ole in se e al ways.
Fi s , hey egula e access o local esou ces by es ablishing “ e i o ial
limi s” be ween ishing po s, de e mining ishing hou s and ime, and
con olling he inco po a ion o new ishe s (F anquesa, 2005). Second,
hey emain ele an by egula ing he i s sales a he ish ma ke ia
auc ion (F anquesa, 2005). And hi d, he Con adías help he commu-
ni y mi iga e he nega i e impac s o con empo a y ishing policy like
lee educ ions o ishing day caps unde he Common Fishe ies Policy,
since compensa ion measu es o e ed by he CFP o en ail o conside
he communi y’s i al onsho e con ibu ions o he ishing economy
(´
Al a ez e al., 2024; G´
omez & Maynou, 2020 & 2021a). In hese ways,
bo h he Con adías and o he al e na i e ini ia i es emain pa amoun
in sus aining he social ab ic ha suppo s he economic de elopmen
and long- e m iabili y o he sec o h ough mu ual help and exchange
ne wo ks beyond he pu e p oduc i is aspec (G´
omez & Maynou,
2020).
Whe eas Åland and Cap de C eus communi ies can hus d aw on a
long his o y o communal and commons-d i en decision-making o he
coas line and i s esou ces, he communi ies o he Eas e n Limassol
ha e been inc easingly disconnec ed om hei local coas al landscape,
bo h physically and spi i ually. Si ua ed a he uppe side o a 1978
mo o way app oxima ely h ee kilome e s away om he sou h coas o
Cyp us, he h ee neighbo ing communi ies, Moni, Monag ouli, and
Pen akomo ha o m his a ea a e poo ly connec ed o he sea.
Compa ed o Åland and Cap de C eus, hey ha e also seen limi ed blue
economy- ela ed de elopmen his o ically—ins ead, he a ea includes
indus ial acili ies like an old cemen ac o y, a wa e and was e
ea men acili y, ecycling acili ies, an old powe s a ion, and
qua ying zones. Addi ionally, i is adjacen o he coun y’s (expanding)
Ene gy Cen e (Vassilikos Ene gy Cen e), a space which domina es he
iew owa ds he eas o all isi o s and inhabi an s in he a ea. Wi h
p io i ies a he EU le el d i ing a blue g ow h s a egy o e pa icula ly
he las decade, ma ine aquacul u e acili ies— he main d i ing mech-
anism o he Cyp io blue economy—ha e been placed in he a ea, wi h
Eas e n Limassol becoming hos o Cyp us’ mos p ominen acili ies in
he indus y.
O e he las wo yea s, local communi ies ha e eac ed s ongly
agains he p oposed c ea ion o a ma ine aquacul u e ha bo . The
simul aneous designa ion o he Ma ine P o ec ed A ea o Ayios Geo -
gios Alamanos as a Na u a 2000 si e in ended o p ese e a mosaic o
ma ine habi a s and he endange ed Medi e anean Monk Seal has also
spu ed deba e and p o es . These nega i e eac ions s em om long-
s anding and widely sp ead communi y dis us owa ds decision-
making in he a ea, s ongly co ela ing wi h go e nmen ina en ion
o bo h he ecological impo ance o he a ea and he de elopmen needs
o he communi y. To communi y membe s, “The e is no coope a ion
be ween he local and he na ional go e nmen when i comes o ou
de elopmen . The decisions a e aken om he op. I you go o he
Na ional Go e nmen o alk abou Go e no ’s Beach, hey will say ha
wha is he e is he gul o he Vassiliko Ene gy Cen e,” (In e iew,
2023). Thus, while Eas e n Limassol could be seen o s and on he
opposi e side om Åland and Cap de C eus on communal cohesi eness
and communi ies’ empowe men wi hin he decision-making p ocess,
he case illus a es how communi y socio-ecological imagina ies can be
shaped by op-down blue economy na a i es, which a e o en
con adic o y.
5.1. Commoning, communi y ca e, and mul ispecies ela ions
Cong uen wi h di e se economic heo is s’ a gumen s ha capi alis
p oduc ion and p o i depend on heal hy social ela ions and ma e ial
eali ies (Gibson-G aham & Mille , 2015; Kay & Kenney-Laza , 2017;
Roel nik e al., 2015), Åland, Cap de C eus, and Eas e n Limassol
oge he show he impo ance ha a s ong social ab ic, in e wo en
wi h a obus coas al en i onmen , hold o he egional blue economy.
Åland and Cap de C eus do so h ough he s ong his o ies o commoning
and hei success. Eas e n Limassol, con e sely, demons a es his poin
h ough i s communi ies’ ela i e disconnec ion om bo h he coas line
and i s go e nance. Mo eo e , in all h ee cases, communi ies s i e o
o eg ound he socie al and en i onmen al pilla s ha uphold he local
blue economy ha capi alis economic analyses usually o e look
(Fede ici, 2004; Gibson-G aham, 1996). To do so, each con ex p o-
mo es communi y ca e h ough social and in as uc u al suppo ,
ad ancing knowledge abou he ma ine en i onmen and he com-
muni y’s ole in i s managemen , and upholding en i onmen al
s ewa dship.
T adi ions o he commons play an impo an ole in hese e o s in
he Finnish and Spanish cases. In Åland, he wa e commons deno e
en i onmen al and na u e conse a ion o he bene i o sus ainable
ish popula ions by s ocking ish inge lings in combina ion wi h keep-
ing coas al a eas clean: “Ou o he unds [annual inancial epo ],
app oxima ely
€
4,000 goes di ec ly o ish s ocking,” (In e iew, 2023).
In p ac ice, suppo o he ishe ies sec o is locally signi ican , wi h
commons allowing access o and cons uc ion on hei sho e land o
pu poses such as ishing ha bo s, boa houses, and o he ela ed acil-
i ies, while he upli ed, p is ine land can in some cases be sold, accu-
mula ing p o i o he commons. The commons bene i om he
a chipelago’s ec ea ional alues, mainly h ough selling ishing licen-
ses, leasing second home plo s and in some cases summe co ages, and
also by le ing ou es au an acili ies. The social “ epaymen ” om he
commons, accumula ed om he men ioned di e se income s eams,
di e s, howe e . In mos cases, he e u n o unds goes in o he coas al
communi ies, o example as s ee ligh s in emo e a eas, boa amps,
pie s and landings o be publicly used wi hou emune a ion. As one
A.S. An ono a e al.
Geo o um 166 (2025) 104410
6
in e iewee desc ibed i , “Based on he annual inancial epo he e’s a
dis ibu ion key, which depends essen ially on how la ge a sha e you
ha e in he wa e common. Then he e’s a sum ha goes o he illage
councils […] i ’s mos ly jus abou ci cula ing he money and using i ,
o example, o build hings,” (In e iew, 2023). Thus, he bu den o
dis ibu ion is sha ed p opo ionally while he bene i is commonly
dis ibu ed.
Simila ly, communi a ian ini ia i es and collabo a i e e o s in Cap
de C eus o e he las 20 yea s and mo e ha e buil on he Con adías’
and sel -managemen his o ical expe ience by wo king owa ds al e -
na i e ways o unde s anding economy o gene a e communi y-based
ans o ma i e change. In e wined in a wide ne wo k, hese ini ia-
i es s eng hen each o hei pa icula ac ions and edi ec alues by
in eg a ing an en i onmen al ac i is aspec : “In ac , a ede a ion o
en i onmen al o ganiza ions has been c ea ed, called SOS Cos a B a a,
wi h 27 o ganiza ions, including IAEDEN,
1
also one o he mos
powe ul and s onges o ganiza ions […] So, we ha e been he e o
30–40 yea s in his ype o ac i ism,” (In e iew, 2023). Al oge he , he
mo e han 25 ini ia i es in en o ied in Cap de C eus so a a e di e se:
he i agiza ion p ocesses o ma i ime cul u e, wellness ac i i ies, he
p omo ion o cul u al he i age and communi y-suppo ed ishe ies as a
“ wo-way en i onmen al” engagemen linking sus ainable p oduce s
and esponsible consume s (G´
omez & Maynou, 2021b).
As in o he pa s o Spain, in Ca alonia a signi ican pe cen age o
hese ini ia i es a e led by women om ishe s’ amilies, who ake on
“an inc easingly pi o al posi ion in ini ia i es ela ed wi h blue econ-
omy” (´
Al a ez e al., 2023: 2). In he in e s ices o he con en ional ish
ma ke , hese ini ia i es se hei sigh s on mo ing owa ds ood so -
e eign y oge he wi h al e na i e ood sys ems as coun e -hegemonic
and pos capi alis al e na i e sea ood sys ems in he Medi e anean
(G´
omez & Maynou, 2021b; P ospe ia e al., 2018). A he same ime, Cap
de C eus’ ini ia i es a e widely based on alliances be ween di e en
social ac o s, such as a isanal ishe s, scuba di ing clubs, local en i ies
and associa ions dedica ed o en i onmen al conse a ion. Social con-
nec ions a e cen al o hese alliances and how hey link up, as exp essed
by one in e iewee, “They a e go e nance ne wo ks. Ok? (…) you ha e
o hink abou hose people, o hose ins i u ions wi h which you ha e a
ela ionship (…) In o mal knowledge exchange, in o ma ion exchange
wi h manage s, managemen o subsidies and economic esou ces,
complain s and denuncia ions, ma e ial esou ces and exchanges, e c.,”
(In e iew, 2023). Thus, hese ini ia i es unc ion oge he as a ne -
wo ked app oach o socially o ien ed go e nance.
Con e sely, conce ns wi h en i onmen al ca e and s ewa dship
come a he hea o blue economy ensions in Eas e n Limassol.
Al hough he a ea comp ises se e al di e en ypes o ecologically sig-
ni ican coas al and ma ine habi a s (including sand-dunes, ee s, Pos-
idonia meadows, and sea ca es) and gi es home o impo an lo a and
auna (including he endange ed Neu ada p ocumbens, he Medi e a-
nean Monk Seal, and ui ba s), he ecological impo ance o he a ea
has been unde app ecia ed and u he unde mined by go e nmen al
policies. Ne e heless, he ac ha he a ea has been ‘p omo ed’ o
mo e indus ial ac i i ies o e he pas decades has kep big pa s o he
coas al a ea a he p is ine and un ouched by he badly planned ou ism
in as uc u es in o he coas al ci ies o he Republic o Cyp us. Wi h he
expansion o he blue economy ansla ing o placing ma ine aquacul-
u e in con lic wi h conse a ion, Eas e n Limassol also aises he
ques ion o how al e na i e imagina ies can be c ea ed, o e en accep ed
by local communi ies, when op-down decisions c ea e bina ies wi h
espec o uses o he sea and coas line. Such bina ies con ac choices o
en i onmen al p o ec ion o economic g ow h. The incohe ency o he
wo policies and he engende ed alse dicho omy has p oduced u he
dis us owa ds decision-make s. To wo k owa ds comba ing hese
dynamics, ecen e o s in Eas e n Limassol ha e ocused on building
s onge links be ween he communi y and he coas line. Fo example,
he las wo yea s ha e seen e o s o in ol e he communi y in o a new
Cape Dolos S a egic Communi y De elopmen Plan seeking o ed ess
challenges like he communi y’s poo connec ion o i s coas line,
h ough among o he , an inc eased app ecia ion o i s en i onmen al
and socie al signi icance. Pa allel ocean li e acy ac i i ies wi h local
p ima y schools made e o s o in oduce child en and hei eache s o
his na u al weal h, and o c ea e eelings o p ide and belonging, as well
as o inspi e u u e ma ine s ewa ds.
Indeed, Cap de C eus, Eas e n Limassol, and Åland all demons a e
ac i i ies mean o empowe communi ies in he blue economy h ough
ad ancing knowledge on he ma e ial en i ies and in angible alues
upholding hei exis ence on he coas line. In Cap de C eus, a web app
(h ps://www.na u cap-empowe us.eu/) p omo es local unde s anding
o he ma ine en i onmen much in he same way ha he e en o
p ima y school child en in Eas e n Limassol sough o popula ize un-
de s anding o he coas line’s unique ecology. In Åland, meanwhile,
wo kshops, lea le s, and o he ocean li e acy e en s aim o encou age
wa e owne s o be e unde s and hei ole in local commons and hus
o spu hem o engage mo e in ishe ies managemen in he islands. In
his way, communi ies ocus on nonmone a y alues ha ha e ei he
been le behind by an enclosu e-like de elopmen o he blue economy
(Hadjimichael, 2018b) o ha emain i al o he main enance o he
s ong social-ecological ab ic ha unde pins mo e success ul and li ely
i e a ions o he blue economy.
6. Discussion: Towa ds di e se blue economies?
In bo h di e se economies li e a u e and b oade c i iques o capi-
alism, adical calls o disman ling he exis ing sys em o en wa wi h
mo e mode a e analyses ha a gue o i s di e si ica ion o e o m om
wi hin. To some ex en , his deba e is an exis ing one wi hin he di e se
economies ield i sel (Colla d & Dempsey, 2017; Kay & Kenney-Laza ,
2017; Zanoni e al., 2017). Ye he need o sugges al e na i es also
emains an open ques ion o deg ow h schola ship, as well as one o
which he as-o -ye enuous links be ween deg ow h and di e se econ-
omies li e a u e poin (Smi h, 2024). In aking on c i icisms o he blue
economy and i s blue g ow h manda e (E ¨
o & Hadjimichael, 2020;
Hadjimichael, 2018a, 2018b; Ounanian & Howells, 2024), his ension
be ween adical pos capi alis imagina y o di e se and al e na i e ap-
p oaches likewise holds sway.
The six cases we ha e examined in his a icle align wi h he di e -
si ying agenda, demons a ing a p agma ic app oach o he challenges
ha he blue economy aises o each coas al communi y. In all six cases,
communi ies’ p ac ices adap , emake, o con es he blue economy
ei he by imbuing economic p ac ices and en e p ises wi h he logic o
ca e and solida i y (Gibson-G aham, 1996; Roel nik e al., 2015) o by
d awing on knowledge and commoning p ac ices om hei egional
his o ical expe iences (Clemens e al., 2019; Healy e al., 2021). Thus,
while each o he coas al communi ies ies o o se he ex ac i ism o
he blue g ow h, local p ac ices in each con ex ne e heless adap o
and wo k om wi hin he exis ing economic sys em. These p ac ices
igh o e ain he bene i s o he blue economy a he communi y le el
h ough he p omo ion o social en e p ises (as in he cases o Bu gas and
Connema a); di e si y he blue economy by mobilizing communi ies’
his o ic legal and economic p ac ices, especially hose pe aining o he
commons and p ac ices o commoning (as exempli ied by he Åland and
Cap de C eus cases); o expose he blue economy’s dependence, e en in a
classic “g ow h” i e a ion, on aspec s o ca e, s ewa dship, equi y, o
collec i e wellbeing o human and mo e- han-human membe s o he
communi y (as bo h he Eas e Limassol and T æna cases show).
Taken oge he , howe e , he six also aise ques ions abou whe he
di e se economic ini ia i es a e obus enough o esis dominan
1
IAEDEN (Ins i uci´
o Al Empo danesa pe la De ensa i Es udi del Te i o i) is
an en i y c ea ed by ci il socie y de ending he Empo da Ma shes Na u al Pa k
and he Cap de C eus. The o ganiza ion has been ad oca ing o en i onmen al
p o ec ion since he 1980s.
A.S. An ono a e al.
Geo o um 166 (2025) 104410
7
g ow h agendas o answe ecen calls o blue deg ow h (E ¨
o &
Hadjimichael, 2020; Hadjimichael, 2018a) by p o iding al e na i e
models o de elopmen . They unlock pe spec i es as o he di e en
blue economies ha a e conside ed, and (mo e impo an ly) ha in-
luence he public sphe e o shape dominan na a i es—al e na i ely
owa ds he impo ance o socio-ecological ac o s o owa ds he sig-
ni icance o socio-economic blue g ow h. These ques ions can also be
hough o as challenges o scale: as S . Ma in e al. (2015) ha e poin ed
ou , di e se economies p ojec s need o anscend he local and wo k on
wide ne wo ks and sys ems o economic ela ions in o de o be suc-
cess ul; ye a he same ime, u ning o wide scales ca ies an inhe en
isk o lea ing behind he local. In he Bu gas, T æna, and Connema a
cases, he e is ension as o whom and o which pu pose he blue g ow h
se es. Fo example, he communi ies’ aims o encou aging local
de elopmen in conjunc ion wi h social i ali y exis agains a b oade ,
na ionally signi ican wage-labo employmen model ha concen a es
mos job oppo uni ies in he u ban cen e s, lea ing pe iphe al com-
muni ies a a disad an age. Simila ly, he Cap de C eus and Eas e n
Limassol cases highligh issues o scale dimension, such as local de-
cisions and e o s o e-in en ei he blue ood sys ems o spa ial
planning and ind hemsel es in po en ial opposi ion o dominan
managemen and economic o ganiza ions a na ional and EU le els.
Di e se economic app oaches o he blue economy do no always
en ail di ec esis ance bu a way o go e nance. Some imes, as in he
cases o Åland o Cap de C eus, he obus ness o al e na i e economic
p ac ices comes om he abili y o communi ies o app oach he blue
economy om a s ong his o ical backg ound ha has allowed hem o
e ain p ac ices o commoning in hei con ex . In Connema a and
Bu gas, likewise, social o ganizing is i al o inding new app oaches o
en isioning local de elopmen and e aining i s bene i s a he local
le el. A o he imes, as in he cases o Eas e n Limassol and T æna, he
blue economy’s g ow h agenda e iden ly canno be success ul in he
i s place wi hou elying on p ac ices o ca e and ecological ela ions
ha o en emain in isible a he agenda-se ing le el. These obse a-
ions align wi h he ways in which di e se economies schola s con es
concep ualiza ions o ecologies as “na u al esou ces” ex e nal o he
p ocess o p oduc ion and consump ion in he economy (Gibson-G aham
& Mille , 2015; Kay & Kenney-Laza , 2017; Mille , 2019). Much as in
hese heo iza ions, T æna and Eas e n Limassol illus a e how ecology
can d i e socie al adap a ion and e ain li elihoods, making he “econ-
omy” dependen on he mo e- han-human.
While he commoning wo k in Åland and Cap de C eus and he
p o i - e aining e o s in Bu gas and Connema a e lec ways o ope a e
wi hin he dominan blue economy ames, we can e lec on whe he
scaling up hese e o s would be possible—o whe he scaling up is e en
he goal a all. Re lec ing on di e se economies in a schola ly discussion,
Elizabe h Ba on (pe sonal communica ion, 11 June 2024) wonde ed
whe he scaling up p ac ices needed o be pa o di e se economies
wo k o whe he i was sa is ac o y (o maybe su icien ) o emb ace a
ne wo k app oach in which di e en p ac ices in di e en locales exis
independen ly bu wi h awa eness o each o he . Such p o oca ion
seems o be si ua ed in Gibson-G aham’s “ hick desc ip ions, weak
heo y” e hos (2014), emphasizing ha he obus ness o he di e se
economies app oach lies in i s con ex ualiza ion. Indeed, hese six cases
demons a e esis ance in sha ed di ec ions and unde simila p ob-
lema iza ions. None heless, an open ques ion emains as o whe he i is
enough o iden i y and de elop a ne wo k o cases o di e se economies
ope a ing wi hin hegemonic blue g ow h and blue economy agendas, o
whe he scaling up hese ini ia i es will be necessa y and possible o
sus ainable and jus ans o ma ions.
7. Conclusion
In his a icle, we ha e examined six coas al con ex s loca ed ac oss
i e Eu opean seas o e idence how communi y p ac ices e-en ision he
blue economy. Toge he , hese case s udies p o ide eal-wo ld
pe spec i es on he ideas, concep s, assump ions, and ambi ions o
di e se economies’ heo e ical schola ship. Aligning wi h ha schola -
ship’s call o dispu e he hegemoniza ion o economic hough (Gibson-
G aham, 1996; Mi chell, 2008; We ne e al., 2017), he cases we ha e
isi ed demons a e he laye ed mo i a ions and isions embedded in
di e en communi y p ac ices. O e he p eceding sec ions, we ha e
highligh ed wo b oad pa e ns: ad ancing communi y p ac ices ha
e ain mone a y alue and p o i on he coas o suppo socio-ecological
ne wo ks o placing a en ion on mo e- han-economic ela ions ha
p io i ize ecological and socie al a he han simply economic alues.
These wo hemes ease ou some o he inhe en ensions ha come up
wi h o eg ounding communi y p ac ices as a way o di e si ying he
blue economy. Bu gas, Connema a, and T æna each exhibi how social
needs can be me h ough blue economy ac i i ies. Åland, Cap de C eus,
and Eas e n Limassol speak o how en i onmen al enewal o e p o i
can guide blue economy ini ia i es and wo k o euni e coas al com-
muni ies wi h hei adjacen ma ine ecosys ems. Toge he , hese cases
nuance ou unde s anding o how local ini ia i es g apple wi h global
agendas such as blue g ow h. In doing so, hey also p og ess di e se
economies hinking on wha cons i u es an economic ela ion, as well as
highligh ing an ongoing deba e wi hin he schola ship be ween he need
o ei he di e si y o disman le dominan g ow h-o ien ed logics.
In p ac ical e ms, hese e lec ions aise a wide poin : namely, o
whom he blue economy is designed, and whom i is mean o se e. The
ensions e lec ed in each o he case s udies we ha e examined a ise
om he a ying scales on which he blue economy is supposed o
ope a e— om he local and i s human (and e en nonhuman) coas al
communi y inhabi an s, h ough egional e enues, o na ional and e en
sup ana ional p io i ies and GDP goals. A he co e o he hema ic di-
ision we ha e iden i ied among di e en coas al communi y p ac ices
si s he key issues o knowledge and empowe men . As demons a ed in
ou six cases, coas al communi ies hold a g ea deal o knowledge o
hei cons i u i e social and ecological ela ions, as well as belie s in an
embedded blue economy ha mee s alues o jus ice and collec i e
weal h. As we ha e shown, communi ies in end no only o esis mal-
adap i e and unsus ainable i e a ions o he blue economy, bu also o
ha ness he blue economic wa e o hei own needs and pu poses. In
his sense, we call o c i ical blue economy schola ship o mo e away
om an ei he /o concep ualiza ion o one emb acing local dis inc ions
and di e si y. Howe e , he ques ion emains as o how hese local i-
sions o a mo e jus and emplaced blue economy will scale o wide
policies (o p ac ices) a highe (go e nance) scales—while e aining i s
commi men o communi ies’ needs and hei social and ecological
ela ions.
Fu u e esea ch migh ackle hese ques ions by engaging di e se
economies li e a u e mo e equen ly in discussions o he blue econ-
omy. The ise o he blue g ow h agenda makes he coas al con ex an
unde explo ed oppo uni y o b ing his body o economic geog aphy
schola ship o bea on conc e e, con empo a y policy conce ns. As he
blue economy con e sa ion g ows e e loude a he go e nance le el
(Eu opean Commission, 2025), mo e geog aphic esea ch is needed on
local unde s andings o wha he blue economy is and could be in e ms
o emplaced ela ions. Such esea ch migh map he o ms o exchange
and ecip oci y ha communi ies engage in while na iga ing he blue
economy; i migh o eg ound he ole o mo e- han-human pe spec i es
and ecological labo o economic p oduc ion; o i migh add ess spe-
ci ic socioecological conce ns o widen he lens om he wage-cen ic
iew ha s ill domina es he blue economy con e sa ion. In making
his appeal, we also a gue o mo e geog aphy schola ship o conside
he speci ics o he coas and he unique concep ual oppo uni ies i
o e s o e hink dominan discou ses o ou ime.
CRediT au ho ship con ibu ion s a emen
Anna S An ono a: W i ing – e iew & edi ing, W i ing – o iginal
d a , In es iga ion, Funding acquisi ion, Fo mal analysis, Da a
A.S. An ono a e al.
Geo o um 166 (2025) 104410
8
cu a ion, Concep ualiza ion. Wesley Flanne y: W i ing – e iew &
edi ing, W i ing – o iginal d a , In es iga ion, Funding acquisi ion,
Fo mal analysis, Da a cu a ion, Concep ualiza ion. Síl ia G´
omez:
W i ing – e iew & edi ing, W i ing – o iginal d a , In es iga ion,
Funding acquisi ion, Fo mal analysis, Da a cu a ion, Concep ualiza ion.
Madeleine Gus a sson: W i ing – e iew & edi ing, W i ing – o iginal
d a , Funding acquisi ion, Fo mal analysis, Da a cu a ion, Concep u-
aliza ion. Ma ia Hadjimichael: W i ing – e iew & edi ing, W i ing –
o iginal d a , In es iga ion, Funding acquisi ion, Fo mal analysis, Da a
cu a ion, Concep ualiza ion. B endan Mu agh: W i ing – e iew &
edi ing, W i ing – o iginal d a , In es iga ion, Funding acquisi ion,
Fo mal analysis, Da a cu a ion, Concep ualiza ion. K is en Ounanian:
W i ing – e iew & edi ing, W i ing – o iginal d a , Funding acquisi ion,
Fo mal analysis, Da a cu a ion, Concep ualiza ion. Sunni a Solnø :
W i ing – e iew & edi ing, W i ing – o iginal d a , Fo mal analysis,
Da a cu a ion, Concep ualiza ion. Vida Ma ia Daae S ei o: W i ing –
e iew & edi ing, W i ing – o iginal d a , In es iga ion, Fo mal anal-
ysis, Da a cu a ion, Concep ualiza ion. K is ina S els: W i ing – e iew
& edi ing, W i ing – o iginal d a , In es iga ion, Funding acquisi ion,
Fo mal analysis, Da a cu a ion.
Decla a ion o compe ing in e es
The au ho s decla e ha hey ha e no known compe ing inancial
in e es s o pe sonal ela ionships ha could ha e appea ed o in luence
he wo k epo ed in his pape .
Acknowledgmen s
The au ho s would like o hank he pa icipan s in hei esea ch o
hei ongoing suppo .
The esea ch conduc ed in his a icle has ecei ed unding om he
Eu opean Union unde he Ho izon Eu ope P og am, G an N◦
101059957 (Empowe Us). Anna An ono a addi ionally ecei ed sup-
po o his publica ion om LMUexcellen , unded by he Fede al
Minis y o Educa ion and Resea ch (BMBF) and he F ee S a e o
Ba a ia unde he Excellence S a egy o he Fede al Go e nmen and
he L¨
ande . Síl ia G´
omez addi ionally ecei ed suppo om he ICREA
Academia.
Da a a ailabili y
The da a ha has been used is con iden ial.
Re e ences
AAVV, 2018. Escola de adicals: qua an a anys de ensan el e i o i de l’Empo d`
a. B au
edicions:, Ba celona, p. 288.
´
Al a ez, N.M., Del Co al, D.F., Alba, I.M., 2024. Why women om ishing communi ies
in Andalusia (Spain) no enlis on ishing essels? Socio-economic and ideological
ac o s o hei non- ecogni ion and ini ia i es o hei inclusion. Ma i ime S udies
23 (1), 1–17. h ps://doi.o g/10.1007/s40152-023-00344-y.
An ono a, A.S., 2024. Regimes o alue: Economic ans o ma ions, ecological
li elihoods, and sal coope a i es on he Bulga ian Black Sea coas . En i on. Plann.
A: Econ. Space. h ps://doi.o g/10.1177/0308518X241295521.
An ono a, A.S., an Dam, A., 2022. En i onmen and in eg a ion on he edge o Eu ope.
Poli ical Geog aphy 93. Else ie L d 102554. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.
polgeo.2021.102554.
Ba besgaa d, M., 2018. Blue g ow h: Sa io o ocean g abbing? J. Peasan S ud. 45 (1),
130–149. h ps://doi.o g/10.1080/03066150.2017.1377186.
Bauha d , C., Ha cou , W. (Eds.), 2019. Feminis Poli ical Ecology and he Economics o
Ca e: In Sea ch o Economic Al e na i es, 1s Edi ion. New Yo k: Rou ledge. Se ies:
Rou ledge s udies in ecological economics: Rou ledge.
Benne , N.J., Le Billon, P., 2022. Belhabib D and Sa iz´
abal P (2022) Local ma ine
s ewa dship and ocean de ende s. Ocean Sus ainabili y 1, 3. h ps://doi.o g/
10.1038/s44183-022-00002-6.
Benne , N.J., Bly he, J., Whi e, C.S., Campe o, C., 2021. Blue g ow h and blue jus ice:
Ten isks and solu ions o he ocean economy. Ma . Policy 125, 104387. h ps://doi.
o g/10.1016/j.ma pol.2020.104387.
Bly he, J.L., Gill, D.A., Claude , J., Benne , N.J., Gu ney, G.G., Baggio, J.A., Ban, N.C.,
Be na d, M.L., B un, V., Da ling, E.S., Di F anco, A., Eps ein, G., F anks, P.,
Ho an, R., Jupi e , S.D., Lau, J., Lazza i, N., Mahajan, S.L., Mangubhai, S.,
Naggea, J., Tu ne , R.A., Za a-Cal io, N., 2023. Blue jus ice: A e iew o eme ging
schola ship and esis ance mo emen s. Camb idge P isms: Coas al Fu u es 1, e15.
Boucquey, N., S . Ma in K, Fai banks L, Campbell LM and Wise S,, 2019. Ocean da a
po als: Pe o ming a new in as uc u e o ocean go e nance. En i on. Plann. D:
Soc. Space 37 (3), 484–503. h ps://doi.o g/10.1177/0263775818822829.
B u on, L., 2019. 10 o Eu ope’s bes music es i als in amazing loca ions. Lonely Plane .
A ailable a : h ps://www.lonelyplane .com/a icles/10-eu ope-bes -music- es i als
(accessed 4 June 2025).
Bu gas Municipali y, 2021. Плaн зa ин
т
eгpиpaнo paзви
т
иe нa Oбщинa Бypгac 2021-2027
(Plan o In eg a ed De elopmen o Bu gas Municipali y 2021-2027). A ailable a :
h ps://plan.sma bu gas.eu/пиpo-2021-2027/(accessed 4 June 2025).
Clemen , F., Ha cou , W., Joshi, D., Sa o, C., 2019. Feminis poli ical ecologies o he
commons and commoning (Edi o ial o he Special Fea u e). In . J. Commons 13 (1),
1–15. h ps://doi.o g/10.18352/ijc.972.
Coldwell, W., 2015. 10 o he bes es i als in Eu ope… ha you’ e p obably ne e hea d
o . accessed 4 June 2025 The Gua dian. A ailable a . h ps://www. hegua dian.
com/ a el/2015/may/05/10-bes -music- es i als-eu ope-ne e -hea d-o .
Colla d, R.C., Dempsey, J., 2020. Two icebe gs: Di e ence in eminis poli ical economy.
En i on. Plann. A: Econ. Space 52 (1), 237–247. h ps://doi.o g/10.1177/
0308518X19877887.
Eu opean Commission, 2025. The EU Blue Economy Repo 2025. Luxembou g:
Publica ions O ice o he Eu opean Union. A ailable a : h ps://op.eu opa.eu/s/
z5To (accessed 5 June 2025).
Eikese , A.M., Maza ella, A.B., Da íðsd´
o i , B., Klinge , D.H., Le in, S.A.,
Ro enskaya, E., S ense h, N.C., 2018. Wha is blue g ow h? The seman ics o
“Sus ainable De elopmen ” o ma ine en i onmen s. Ma . Policy 87, 177–179.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.ma pol.2017.10.019.
E ¨
o , I., Hadjimichael, M., 2020. Edi o ial: Blue deg ow h and he poli ics o he sea:
e hinking he blue economy. Sus ain. Sci. 15 (1), 1–10. h ps://doi.o g/10.1007/
s11625-019-00772-y.
Fede ici, S., 2004. Caliban and he Wi ch: Women, he Body and P imi i e Accumula ion.
Au onomedia, B ooklyn, NY.
Finlex, 1989. Law o he Commons. 18.8.1989/758. A ailable a : h ps://www. inlex. i/
i/laki/ajan asa/1989/19890758 (Accessed 4 June 2025).
Flanne y, W., Mu agh, B., Mille , A., An ono a, A.S., Hadjimichael, M., S els, K., Salmi,
P., E ikkson, V., S ei o, V.M.D., Ekeland, C.M., G´
omez, S., Pa aca, B., Pulga , M.,
2023. Repo on communi y go e nance audi . A ailable a : h ps://cdn.sani y.io/
iles/h1zicd 6/p oduc ion/03939a 12560b955002175053d7067d7b2b456e4.pd
(Accessed 27 Augus 2025).
F anquesa, R., 2005. Las co adías en Espa˜
na. Papel econ´
omico y cambios es uc u ales,
Quade ns Blaus 15. Ca ed a d
′
Es udis Ma í ims, Palam´
os 2005, 1–30.
F ei as, J.G.D., James, R., Land, I., 2022. Coas al s udies and socie y: The ipping poin .
Coas al S udies & Socie y 1 (1), 3–9. h ps://doi.o g/10.1177/26349817211047765.
Gibson-G aham, J.K., 1996. The End o Capi alism (As We Knew I ): A Feminis C i ique o
Poli ical Economy. Blackwell, Camb idge and Ox o d.
Gibson-G aham, J.K., 2014. Re hinking he Economy wi h Thick Desc ip ion and Weak
Theo y. Cu . An h opol. 55 (S9), S147–S153. h ps://doi.o g/10.1086/676646.
Gibson-G aham, J.K., Domb oski, K. (Eds.), 2020. The Handbook o Di e se Economies.
Chel enham: Edwa d Elga Publishing.
Gibson-G aham, J.K., Mille , E., 2015. In: Economy as Ecological Li elihood. Mani es o
o Li ing in he An h opocene. Punc um Books:, pp. 7–16.
Gibson-G aham, J.K., Came on, J., Healy, S., 2016. Commoning as a pos capi alis
poli ics. In: Amin, A., Howell, P. (Eds.), Releasing he Commons: Re hinking he Fu u es
o he Commons, Rou ledge S udies in Human Geog aphy. Rou ledge:, New Yo k,
pp. 192–212. h ps://doi.o g/10.4324/9781315673172.
G´
omez, S., 2022. The Mo al and E hical Baseline o Ma ine Socio-Ecological Values: The
Case o Rec ea ional and A isanal Fishing in NW Medi e anean Coas al Wa e s
(Ca alonia, Spain). Hum. Ecol. 50 (5), 895–910.
G´
omez, S., Llo e , J., 2017. The Small-Scale Fishe ies Guidelines as a Tool o Ma ine
S ewa dship: The Case o Cap de C eus Ma ine P o ec ed A ea, Spain. In: S ein
Jen o (Ed.) Small-Scale Fishe ies Guidelines. Global Implemen a ion. MARE Publica ion
Se ies: 401-420. Sp inge Edi o ial. ISBN 978-3-319-55073-2.
G´
omez, S., Maynou, F., 2020. Economic, sociocul u al and ecological dimensions o
ishing capaci y in No hwes e n Medi e anean ishe ies. Ocean Coas . Manag. 197,
105323. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105323.
G´
omez, S., Maynou, F., 2021a. Balancing ecology, economy and cul u e in ishe ies
policy: Pa icipa o y esea ch in he Wes e n Medi e anean deme sal ishe ies
managemen plan. J. En i on. Manage. 291, 112728. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.
jen man.2021.112728.
G´
omez, S., Maynou, F., 2021b. Al e na i e sea ood ma ke ing sys ems os e
ans o ma i e p ocesses in Medi e anean ishe ies. Ma . Policy 127, 104432.
h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.ma pol.2021.104432.
Go e nmen Åland, 1954. Landskapslag (1956:39) om iske i landskape Åland [Fishe ies
Law]. A ailable a : h ps:// aolex. ao.o g/docs/pd /ala211830.pd (Accessed 4 June
2025).
Gus a sson, M., Sølno , S., 2022. Gende , Equali y and Di e si y Plan. A ailable a :
h ps://cdn.sani y.io/ iles/h1zicd 6/p oduc ion/
3e4449b24974d6764c1601033cadc80 32 8c8d1.pd (Accessed 27 Augus 2025).
Gus a sson, M., F angoudes, K., Linds ¨
om, L., ´
Al a ez Bu gos, M.C., de la To e-
Cas o, M., 2021. Gende and Blue Jus ice in small-scale ishe ies go e nance. Ma .
Policy 133, 104743. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.ma pol.2021.104743.
Hadjimichael, M., 2018a. A call o a blue deg ow h: Un a elling he Eu opean Union’s
ishe ies and ma i ime policies. Ma . Policy 94, 158–164. h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.
ma pol.2018.05.007.
A.S. An ono a e al.
Geo o um 166 (2025) 104410
9
