Although fishers’ income strongly depends on shellfishing in all studied areas, our findings show that less fishing experience and lower engagement in fisher associations tend to increase the economic vulnerability of the fishers. Specifically, we estimated the economic vulnerability of shellfishers and assessed the diversity of social adaptive responses used to deal with climate change. Using Galicia (Spain) as a case study, we investigated individual and household-level adaptive responses to climate change among fishers in three fishing guilds (Cambados, Campelo, and Redondela). Although scientific research on climate change impacts has increased in recent years, few studies have explored the social impacts on small-scale fisheries. However, they face major challenges, including the increasing effects of climate change that pose serious risks to coastal ecosystems and fishing communities. Small-cale fisheries are important for livelihoods, food security, jobs and income worldwide. 10Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.9Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, EcoCost, Facultade de Ciencias del Mar, Edificio CC Experimentais, Vigo, Spain.8 Cofradía de Pescadores San Antonio de Cambados, Pontevedra, Spain.
6Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virgínia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States.5Fishing Ecology, Management, and Economics, Department of Ecology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.4Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, EcoCost, Vigo, Spain.3Fisheries Consultant, Fisherman’s Cove, Mahé, Seychelles.2CRETUS, Department of Applied Economics, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.1Faculty of Business Administration and Management, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.Lopes 5, Pablo Pita 1,2, Andrés Simón 7, José Carlos Mariño Balsa 8, Celia Olabarria 9, Elsa Vázquez 9 and Nuria Calvo 10 Sebastián Villasante 1,2*, Gonzalo Macho 3,4, Monalisa R.