Empirical essays on Natural Resources and Environmental Economics.

Abstract

The present thesis examines multiple socioeconomic aspects within fisheries. The first aspect is thedistribution of resources. Equity in the distribution of resources facilitates the implementation of policiesfor their sustainability. Chapter 1 analyses the international distribution of resources as the basis to thedesign of successful international policies urged for the recovery of global fish stocks. Chapter 2 focuseson the resources distribution across EU Member States to design more equitable regional policiescomplying with the sustainability requirements. The distribution of resources within countries has widesocioeconomic implications too. Chapter 3 measures the concentration of fishing activity in Norway,studying the reasons underlying its evolution. The second aspect is the discarding practice. Motivated byreasons of different nature, this practice influences negatively the environment and the food security.Chapter 4 contributes to the design of efficient global policies for the minimization of discards byshowing the determinants of the countries¿ discarded catches. The third aspect is the food demand.Despite providing an economic incentive for the fishing activity, food demand may threaten the fishingindustry by altering the climate and marine conditions. Chapter 5 evaluates which are the fiscal policiesto be implemented in order to decrease the environmental impact generated by the human foodconsumption in Spain. During the elaboration of the thesis, COVID-19 arose, having worldwideeconomic effects. Chapter 6 evaluates the incidence of COVID-19 during the first wave in the differentAutonomous Communities within Spain.