The present worldwide scenario is one of land-based livelihoods that are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. While being committed to environmental goals, India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change released in 2008, reaffirms that maintaining a high growth rate is essential to raising the standard of living of the people. Curbing emissions while maintaining high growth rates and achieving the Millennium Development Goals without increase in fossil fuel consumption, both appear to be paradoxes. Community-based micro energy initiatives have the potential to support productive development without fossil fuel consumption. This study examines small scale, village level biodiesel production for local use, based on unutilized and under-utilized, existing oil seeds in remote rural locations in Orissa, India. The village level biodiesel model is a response to large agro-industrial models that promote plantation of energy crops like jatropha, and to centralized production of biofuels as an alternative to petrodiesel. Village level biodiesel adds value to the large quantity of locally unutilized forest seeds and underutilized short duration oilseed crops like niger that are exported as birdfeed, to fuel livelihoods and boost the local economy. The development of a village level biodiesel model in a participatory manner within an agroecosystem boundary, and its ability to catalyze livelihoods that are sustainable, have been analyzed. Participant observation techniques have been used to develop narrative case studies for three village communities. Methodology for the study is based on Participatory Action Research approaches (Kemmis et al., 2000), where the research process has contributed to community action. The Sustainable Livelihood approach forms an important foundation of this research. A conceptual framework adapted from the original Sustainable Livelihood Framework (Scoones, 1998), to include Complex Systems Thinking (Holling, et al., 1995, Kay, et al., 1999) was used to analyze case studies in two communities of Orissa, India. Informed by results in the first two case communities, the same framework was used to develop a livelihood strategy based on Village Level Biodiesel (VLB), in a third cluster of villages also in Orissa. Three additional inclusions are proposed as a result of the research, to address some gaps in the original framework. These are the concepts of (1) Entitlements (Leach, et al., 1997) to understand power structures, (2) Adaptation Continuum (McGray 2007) to include issues of climate impacts and (3) Rural Livelihood System (Hogger, 2004) as a complex whole relating the inner reality of the farmer to the outer reality of a swiftly globalizing world. Resilience of livelihoods was identified as a key outcome parameter. Three main considerations for assessing sustainability and resilience of livelihoods, as defined by this research are (1) potential for livelihood diversity and intensity, (2) connectedness of the institutions involved in the decision making process, and (3) adaptation – that is resilience of livelihoods in terms of their capacity to resist drivers of vulnerability and confront impacts of climate change. The VLB in Orissa approaches livelihood diversity and intensity through a three-pronged approach consisting of biodiesel fuelled livelihoods, sustainable agriculture and local value addition. Careful attention is given to the specifics of the context in designing the VLB, thus enhancing the adaptive capacity of the technology. In the context of India, with the devolution of power to the local level, the Gram Sabha, or the village governing council, has political powers and the ability to negotiate with the State because of the authority vested in it by the 73rd amendment to the Constitution of India, and can additionally regulate the market at the local level. Leveraging the powers of this entity may provide the VLB with the needed impetus to replicate and move beyond pilot implementations. Obstacles in the implementation and strategies to overcome these have been identified. The challenge to future research and action is to span regional, national and global levels to influence policy makers to take cognizance of and promote the VLB as a viable development alternative to agro-industrial models designed to generate transport fuel.

The present worldwide scenario is one of land-based livelihoods that are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. While being committed to environmental goals, India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change released in 2008, reaffirms that maintaining a high growth rate is essential to raising the standard of living of the people. Curbing emissions while maintaining high growth rates and achieving the Millennium Development Goals without increase in fossil fuel consumption, both appear to be paradoxes. Community-based micro energy initiatives have the potential to support productive development without fossil fuel consumption. This study examines small scale, village level biodiesel production for local use, based on unutilized and under-utilized, existing oil seeds in remote rural locations in Orissa, India. The village level biodiesel model is a response to large agro-industrial models that promote plantation of energy crops like jatropha, and to centralized production of biofuels as an alternative to petrodiesel. Village level biodiesel adds value to the large quantity of locally unutilized forest seeds and underutilized short duration oilseed crops like niger that are exported as birdfeed, to fuel livelihoods and boost the local economy. The development of a village level biodiesel model in a participatory manner within an agroecosystem boundary, and its ability to catalyze livelihoods that are sustainable, have been analyzed. Participant observation techniques have been used to develop narrative case studies for three village communities. Methodology for the study is based on Participatory Action Research approaches (Kemmis et al., 2000), where the research process has contributed to community action. The Sustainable Livelihood approach forms an important foundation of this research. A conceptual framework adapted from the original Sustainable Livelihood Framework (Scoones, 1998), to include Complex Systems Thinking (Holling, et al., 1995, Kay, et al., 1999) was used to analyze case studies in two communities of Orissa, India. Informed by results in the first two case communities, the same framework was used to develop a livelihood strategy based on Village Level Biodiesel (VLB), in a third cluster of villages also in Orissa. Three additional inclusions are proposed as a result of the research, to address some gaps in the original framework. These are the concepts of (1) Entitlements (Leach, et al., 1997) to understand power structures, (2) Adaptation Continuum (McGray 2007) to include issues of climate impacts and (3) Rural Livelihood System (Hogger, 2004) as a complex whole relating the inner reality of the farmer to the outer reality of a swiftly globalizing world. Resilience of livelihoods was identified as a key outcome parameter. Three main considerations for assessing sustainability and resilience of livelihoods, as defined by this research are (1) potential for livelihood diversity and intensity, (2) connectedness of the institutions involved in the decision making process, and (3) adaptation – that is resilience of livelihoods in terms of their capacity to resist drivers of vulnerability and confront impacts of climate change. The VLB in Orissa approaches livelihood diversity and intensity through a three-pronged approach consisting of biodiesel fuelled livelihoods, sustainable agriculture and local value addition. Careful attention is given to the specifics of the context in designing the VLB, thus enhancing the adaptive capacity of the technology. In the context of India, with the devolution of power to the local level, the Gram Sabha, or the village governing council, has political powers and the ability to negotiate with the State because of the authority vested in it by the 73rd amendment to the Constitution of India, and can additionally regulate the market at the local level. Leveraging the powers of this entity may provide the VLB with the needed impetus to replicate and move beyond pilot implementations. Obstacles in the implementation and strategies to overcome these have been identified. The challenge to future research and action is to span regional, national and global levels to influence policy makers to take cognizance of and promote the VLB as a viable development alternative to agro-industrial models designed to generate transport fuel.

This Minor Field Study was carried out during November and December in 2011 in the Mount Elgon District in Western Kenya. The objective was to examine nine small-scale farming household´s land use and socioeconomic situation when they have joined a non-governmental organization (NGO) project, which specifically targets small-scale farming households to improve land use system and socioeconomic situation by the extension of soil and water conservation measures. The survey has worked along three integral examinations methods which are mapping and processing data using GIS, semi structured interviews and literature studies.   This study has adopted a theoretical approach referred to as political ecology, in which landesque capital is a central concept. The result shows that all farmers, except one, have issues with land degradation. However, the extent of the problem and also implemented sustainable soil and water conservation measures were diverse among the farmers. The main causes of this can both be linked to how the farmers themselves utilized their farmland and how impacts from the climate change have modified the terms of the farmers working conditions. These factors have consequently resulted in impacts on the informants’ socioeconomic conditions. Furthermore it was also registered that social and economic elements, in some cases, were the causes of how the farmers manage their farmland. The farmer who had no significant problem with soil erosion had invested in trees and opportunities to irrigate the farmland. In addition, it was also recorded that certain farmers had invested in particular soil and water conservation measures without any significant result. This was probably due to the time span these land measures cover before they start to generate revenue.  The outcome of this study has traced how global, national and local elements exist in a context when it comes to the conditions of the farmers´ land use and their socioeconomic situation. The farmers atMt.Elgon are thereby a component of a wider context when they are both contributory to their socioeconomic situation, mainly due to their land management, and also exposed to core-periphery relationships on which the farmers themselves have no influence.

Frivilliga avsättningar av skog med höga naturvärden är en viktig del för att nå Miljömålet ”Levande skogar”. Det finns dock tveksamheter om de naturvårdsbiologiska kvalitéerna i dessa avsättningar. Syftet med denna studie var därför att undersöka om den skog som avsätts frivilligt av privata skogsägare är den skogsmark som har de högsta naturvärdena på fastigheten. Vidare studerades också markägarens naturvårdskunnande, utbildningsnivå och attityd till naturvård. Detta kan påverka viljan att avsätta skog frivilligt, hur långsiktig avsättningen blir samt kvalitén på avsättningarna. Studien består av inventeringar på sex skogsfastigheter i Östergötland med frivilliga avsättningar, samt en enkätstudie till skogsägare. Det visade sig att skogsägarna i huvudsak avsatte de bestånd med högst naturvärde på fastigheten. Tre bestånd (en lövskog, en tallskog samt en källmiljö) av totalt 59 hyste högre naturvärde än de frivilligt avsatta. De avsatta skogarnas hade lägre virkestäthet än produktionsbestånden och bestod i större utsträckning av lövskog. Majoriteten av skogsägarna avsatte skogen långsiktigt för kommande generationer. När skogsägarna fick rangordna syftet med sin skogsfastighet prioriterades virke i första hand, naturvård värderades betydligt lägre. En mätning av kunskaper i tillämpad ekologi och artkännedom visade att skogsägarnas kunskaper i regel var bristfälliga när det gällde igenkänning av indikatorarter samt viktiga trädslag för artbevarande. Majoriteten av de som var negativa till att göra frivilliga avsättningar kunde tänka sig att ändra åsikt vid ”skälig ersättning”. Mer omfattande studier behövs för att avgöra om mina resultat var representativa och om de frivilliga avsättningarna verkligen hyser fastighetens högsta naturvärden och lever upp till miljömålet levande skogar. / Voluntarily protected forests with high nature conservation value are an important part of fulfilling the environmental objective "Sustainableforests". The aim of this study was to evaluate if the voluntarily protected forests are those with the highest conservation value for threatened species1 on the estate. Another purpose was to investigate the knowledge in applied ecology among small-scale foresters, their educational level and attitudes towards conservation. The study contains inventories at six different estates in the county of Östergötland and a query targeted to small-scale forest owners. The foresters in my study set aside the areas with the highest conservation values on the estate with few exceptions. Three areas (one deciduous forest, one pine forest and a well) out of 59 had a higher conservation value than the areas set aside voluntarily. The voluntarily protected forests had less timber density than the productive areas and contained more deciduous forest. A majority of the foresters voluntarily protected forests where intended to remain for future generations. As part of my study the foresters also got to rank the purpose of the forest estate. Timber got the highest rank while nature conservation got a considerable lower rank. A measurement of the small-scale forester's knowledge in applied ecology and indicator species showed that their knowledge often was inadequate regarding indicator species. A majority of those negative to voluntary forest conservation areas on their own estate were willing to change view if they were given adequate economic compensation. 1 according to the Swedish Red list

<p>The objectives of this doctoral thesis are to give a basisincluding methods for the development of stationary polymerelectrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) systems for combined heat andpower production. Moreover, the objectives include identifyingprerequisites, requirements and possibilities for PEFC systemsproducing heat and power for buildings in Sweden. The PEFCsystem is still in a pre-commercial state, but low emissionlevels, fast dynamics and high efficiencies are promisingcharacteristics.</p><p>A thermodynamic model to simulate stationary PEFC systemshas been constructed and pinch technology and exergy analysesare utilised to design and evaluate the system. The finalsystem configuration implies a high total efficiency ofapproximately 98 % (LHV).</p><p>A flexible test facility was built in connection with theresearch project to experimentally evaluate small-scalestationary PEFC systems at KTH. The research PEFC system hasextensive measurement equipment, a rigorous control system andallows fuel cell systems from approximately 0.2 to 4 kWel insize to be tested. The simulation models of the fuel processorand the fuel cell stack are verified with experimental datataken from the test facility. The initial evaluation andsimulation of the first residential installation of a PEFCsystem in Sweden is also reported. This PEFC system, fuelled bybiogas and hydrogen, is installed in an energy system alsoincluding a photovoltaic array, an electrolyser and hydrogenstorage.</p><p>Technical aspects of designing a fuel cell system-basedenergy system, including storages and grid connections, whichprovides heat and power to a building are presented in thisthesis. As a basis for the technical and economic evaluations,exemplifying energy systems are constructed and simulated. Fuelcell system installations are predicted to be economicallyunviable for probable near-term conditions in Sweden. The mainfactor in the economic evaluations is the fuel price. However,fuel cell system installations are shown to have a higher fuelutilisation than the conventional method of energy supply.</p><p>The methods presented in this thesis serve as a collectedbasis for continued research and development in the area.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>Small-scale, stationary, fuel cell system,polymer electrolyte fuel cell, PEFC system, reformer,thermodynamic modelling, pinch technology, exergy analyses,system configuration, test facility, experiments, application,simulation, installation, energy system, energy storage, heatand power demand.</p>

<p>Zambia is a highly urbanized country with 60% of its urban population residing in low cost areas also called peri-urban, slum or informal settlements. The increase in urban population attributed to rapid migration and urbanization due to political and economic changes has taken a toll on service provision as the infrastructure development and service provision has failed to meet the demand. For the 33 peri-urban areas in Lusaka, the water supply and sanitation has been poor, inadequate and unreliable with the coverage being slightly above 50% for water while 90% of the urban population does not have access to the much needed sanitation. The low coverage is a result of lack the financial capacity on the part of the service providers to extend services to un served areas.</p><p>This research focuses on the strategies to provide sustainable water and sanitation services to peri-urban areas to ensure improved accessibility through the expansion of infrastructure and attainment of full cost recovery. In this era of increasing migration to unplanned settlements where the services are inadequate, alternatives to public provision of water and sanitation services need to be put in place. One of the alternatives is the public-private partnership which encompasses the society, private and the civil society. As has been found in the study the best alternative should not only be completely bottom up but should also be more demand driven and be able to provide for greater contributions from the affected communities.</p><p>The hypothesis of the study is to ascertain if provision of water supply to the Peri-Urban Areas (PUAs) can be achieved through the partnership between the water utility and the small scale water providers. Therefore, the objectives of the research are to: evaluate and compare the current service provision to the peri-urban areas by the utility and small scale providers in terms of technical, social and institutional arrangements and determine the best way of ensuring sustained service provision to peri urban areas and show how partnership can be the best solution to improving service delivery to these areas.</p><p>Service provision in PUAs can not be achieved without the involvement of all the stakeholders especially the community who are also the users and whose major role is paying for the service to enhance sustainability. In this study the Small Scale Water Providers (SSWP) users were found to be satisfied with the service provided than the utility users who felt that more needed to be done. The two providers are found to have different strengths which when combined would enhance service provision. The collaboration between utility with its competence in water supply, technical installations, water quality testing and SSWP with theirs in community involvement, cost recovery, effective operation and maintenance and demand driven water schemes have to be merged to achieve the intended goal and it is also an indication that the two can complement each other. Utility should therefore consider opening investment accounts for all the areas so as to detach PUAs needs from the general plan and eventually budget as they would be self sustaining and enhance willingness to pay for the users. The SSWP should therefore be viewed as partners by all and licensing should be considered by the government for the benefit of the urban poor.</p>

<p>Zambia is a highly urbanized country with 60% of its urban population residing in low cost areas also called peri-urban, slum or informal settlements. The increase in urban population attributed to rapid migration and urbanization due to political and economic changes has taken a toll on service provision as the infrastructure development and service provision has failed to meet the demand. For the 33 peri-urban areas in Lusaka, the water supply and sanitation has been poor, inadequate and unreliable with the coverage being slightly above 50% for water while 90% of the urban population does not have access to the much needed sanitation. The low coverage is a result of lack the financial capacity on the part of the service providers to extend services to un served areas.</p><p>This research focuses on the strategies to provide sustainable water and sanitation services to peri-urban areas to ensure improved accessibility through the expansion of infrastructure and attainment of full cost recovery. In this era of increasing migration to unplanned settlements where the services are inadequate, alternatives to public provision of water and sanitation services need to be put in place. One of the alternatives is the public-private partnership which encompasses the society, private and the civil society. As has been found in the study the best alternative should not only be completely bottom up but should also be more demand driven and be able to provide for reater contributions from the affected communities.</p><p>The hypothesis of the study is to ascertain if provision of water supply to the Peri-Urban Areas (PUAs) can be achieved through the partnership between the water utility and the small scale water providers. Therefore, the objectives of the research are to: evaluate and compare the current service provision to the peri-urban areas by the utility and small scale providers in terms of technical, social and institutional arrangements and determine the best way of ensuring sustained service provision to peri urban areas and show how partnership can be the best solution to improving service delivery to these areas.</p><p>Service provision in PUAs can not be achieved without the involvement of all the stakeholders especially the community who are also the users and whose major role is paying for the service to enhance sustainability. In this study the Small Scale Water Providers (SSWP) users were found to be satisfied with the service provided than the utility users who felt that more needed to be done. The two providers are found to have different strengths which when combined would enhance service provision. The collaboration between utility with its competence in water supply, technical installations, water quality testing and SSWP with theirs in community involvement, cost recovery, effective operation and maintenance and demand driven water schemes have to be merged to achieve the intended goal and it is also an indication that the two can complement each other. Utility should therefore consider opening investment accounts for all the areas so as to detach PUAs needs from the general plan and eventually budget as they would be self sustaining and enhance  illingness to pay for the users. The SSWP should therefore be viewed as partners by all and licensing should be considered by the government for the benefit of the urban poor.</p>

<p>Zambia is a highly urbanized country with 60% of its urban population residing in low cost areas also called peri-urban, slum or informal settlements. The increase in urban population attributed to rapid migration and urbanization due to political and economic changes has taken a toll on service provision as the infrastructure development and service provision has failed to meet the demand. For the 33 peri-urban areas in Lusaka, the water supply and sanitation has been poor, inadequate and unreliable with the coverage being slightly above 50% for water while 90% of the urban population does not have access to the much needed sanitation. The low coverage is a result of lack the financial capacity on the part of the service providers to extend services to un served areas.</p><p>This research focuses on the strategies to provide sustainable water and sanitation services to peri-urban areas to ensure improved accessibility through the expansion of infrastructure and attainment of full cost recovery. In this era of increasing migration to unplanned settlements where the services are inadequate, alternatives to public provision of water and sanitation services need to be put in place. One of the alternatives is the public-private partnership which encompasses the society, private and the civil society. As has been found in the study the best alternative should not only be completely bottom up but should also be more demand driven and be able to provide for greater contributions from the affected communities.</p><p>The hypothesis of the study is to ascertain if provision of water supply to the Peri-Urban Areas (PUAs) can be achieved through the partnership between the water utility and the small scale water providers. Therefore, the objectives of the research are to: evaluate and compare the current service provision to the peri-urban areas by the utility and small scale providers in terms of technical, social and institutional arrangements and determine the best way of ensuring sustained service provision to peri urban areas and show how partnership can be the best solution to improving service delivery to these areas.</p><p>Service provision in PUAs can not be achieved without the involvement of all the stakeholders especially the community who are also the users and whose major role is paying for the service to enhance sustainability. In this study the Small Scale Water Providers (SSWP) users were found to be satisfied with the service provided than the utility users who felt that more needed to be done. The two providers are found to have different strengths which when combined would enhance service provision. The collaboration between utility with its competence in water supply, technical installations, water quality testing and SSWP with theirs in community involvement, cost recovery, effective operation and maintenance and demand driven water schemes have to be merged to achieve the intended goal and it is also an indication that the two can complement each other. Utility should therefore consider opening investment accounts for all the areas so as to detach PUAs needs from the general plan and eventually budget as they would be self sustaining and enhance willingness to pay for the users. The SSWP should therefore be viewed as partners by all and licensing should be considered by the government for the benefit of the urban poor.</p>

Currently, there is widespread debate regarding the overall status of the world's fisheries, with some researchers projecting their total collapse in only a few decades, and others concluding the situation is not quite as bleak. Additional debates include what strategies should be used to manage fisheries at various scales, and further research is needed to determine which strategies are most appropriate for use in particular situations and locales, as context is critical. Recently, prominent common pool resources scholars have expressed the need for ethnographic approaches to studying resource management institutions in order to move beyond the current focus of simply identifying the factors and conditions that lead to the self-organization of resource users and long-term sustainability of management institutions. These authors describe the need for examining the larger context in which management institutions exist and taking various historical, political, and sociocultural factors into account when examining common pool resources. This dissertation is a response to that request. This research is the result of over 20 months of ethnographic research in St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands (USVI). Drawing on research in political ecology and building on anthropological critiques of common pool resource institutions, I describe the historical, social, and political factors that influence how fisheries management occurs at the federal and territorial levels, and how commercial fishers, managers, and other stakeholders experience and participate in multi-scale management processes. Ethnographic data suggest that there are a variety of historical, social, and political factors that influence how commercial fishers, managers, and other stakeholders perceive the federal fisheries management process, the extent of their participation in that process, as well as interactions within and between stakeholder groups. Additionally, the mismatch that exists between the centralized management structure of the US federal system and the small-scale, multi-method nature of St. Croix's fishery creates a complex management environment in which few stakeholders participate.

Η μικρή παράκτια αλιεία αποτελεί σημαντικό τμήμα του αλιευτικού κλάδου στnν Ελλάδα και τη Μεσόγειο και χαρακτηρίζεται από υψηλή ετερογένεια και πληθώρα ιδιαιτεροτήτων. Η διαχείριση της απαιτεί την εξέταση βιολογικών, αλλά και κοινωνικών και οικονομικών παραμέτρων. Στην παρούσα εργασία αναπτύχθηκε μία τυπολογία της ελληνικής μικρής παράκτιας αλιείας με βάση βιολογικά, κοινωνικά και οικονομικά χαρακτηριστικά. Στη συνέχεια η εργασία εστιάστηκε στον Πατραϊκό Κόλπο, όπου μελετήθηκε η δραστηριότητα της τοπικής μικρής παράκτιας αλιείας, η συνολική παραγωγή και η παραγωγή ανά μονάδα αλιευτικής προσπάθειας, η σύνθεση του αλιεύματος, τα απορριπτόμενα και η κατά μήκος σύνθεση των αλιευμάτων. Οι νομοί της Ελλάδας στρωματοποιήθηκαν βάσει του αριθμού των αλιέων και της εξάρτησης από την αλιεία και πραγματοποιήθηκαν συνεντεύξεις αλιέων. Επιβεβαιώθηκε η ποικιλία εργαλείων και ειδών-στόχων και η έντονη χωρική ετερογένεια. Το κυρίαρχο πρότυπο αλιευτικής δραστηριότητας εμφάνισε εποχικές διακυμάνσεις (20 ημέρες δραστηριότητας μηνιαίως το καλοκαίρι, 13 ημέρες το χειμώνα), παρουσίασε όμως τοπικές ιδιαιτερότητες. Οι κύριες ενασχολήσεις (métiers) που πραγματοποιούνται σε πανελλήνιο επίπεδο αναγνωρίστηκαν ως συνδυασμοί αλιευτικού εργαλείου, είδους-στόχου, εποχής και περιοχής με πολυμεταβλητή ανάλυση. Οι αλιείς παρουσίασαν χαμηλό μορφωτικό επίπεδο και υψηλή μέση ηλικία, υψηλά ποσοστά παραμονής στον τόπο γέννησης και διαπιστώθηκε έντονη παρουσία της οικογένειας στο επάγγελμα. Οι αλιείς χωρίστηκαν σε τρεις ομάδες εξάρτησης από την αλιεία βάσει του ποσοστού του εισοδήματος που προέρχεται από το ψάρεμα, οι οποίες εμφάνισαν διαφορές σε χαρακτηριστικά όπως η μέση ηλικία, το μήκος του σκάφους, οι ημέρες δραστηριότητας και το εισόδημα από το ψάρεμα. Στη συνέχεια μελετήθηκε η μικρή παράκτια αλιεία του Πατραϊκού Κόλπου με δειγματοληψίες σε αλιευτικές εξορμήσεις. Η αλιευτική παραγωγή ήταν κατά μέσο όρο 12 Kg ανά αλιευτική εξόρμηση. Συνολικά, αναγνωρίστηκαν 102 είδη αλιευμάτων. Αναπτύχθηκε μία μεθοδολογία αναγνώρισης ενασχολήσεων σε περιπτώσεις περιορισμένου αριθμού δεδομένων, όπως συχνά συμβαίνει στη Μεσόγειο. Οι ενασχολήσεις που αναγνωρίστηκαν παρουσίασαν διαφορές στην ποσότητα και στη σύνθεση του αλιεύματος και ομαδοποιήθηκαν σε μετα-ενασχολήσεις με σκοπό την αποτελεσματικότερη δειγματοληψία της αλιευτικής δραστηριότητας. Η μελέτη των απορριπτομένων ανέδειξε τρεις αιτίες απόρριψης: χαμηλή εμπορικότητα (78% της απορριφθείσας ποσότητας), καταστροφή των αλιευμάτων κατά την παραμονή τους στο νερό (5%) και μείωση της ποιότητάς τους εξαιτίας κακών χειρισμών του ψαρά (17%). Υψηλό ποσοστό απόρριψης παρουσίασαν οι ενασχολήσεις παραγαδιών και μανωμένων διχτύων με μικρό άνοιγμα ματιού. Από τα δεδομένα ατομικού μήκους των αλιευμάτων πραγματοποιήθηκαν συγκρίσεις κατά μήκους σύνθεσης ανάμεσα σε διαφορετικές ενασχολήσεις και εποχές του έτους. Στις περισσότερες περιπτώσεις διαπιστώθηκαν διαφορές. Η μελέτη της επίπτωσης της εφαρμογής του ελάχιστου επιτρεπόμενου μεγέθους εκφόρτωσης έδειξε μικρό ποσοστό υπομεγεθών ατόμων στο αλίευμα βάσει τόσο των σημερινών σε ισχύ μεγεθών όσο και βάσει αυτών που πρόκειται να εφαρμοστούν σύμφωνα με τον Οδικό Χάρτη για την Αναθεώρηση της Κοινής Αλιευτικής Πολιτικής, σε επίπεδο είδους όμως παρουσιάστηκαν εξαιρέσεις. Η παρούσα εργασία αποτελεί τη βάση για την ανάπτυξη μεθοδολογίας για τη μελέτη της μικρής παράκτιας αλιείας στην Ελλάδα και την πραγματοποίηση συγκριτικών μελετών σε ευρωπαϊκή κλίμακα σε αυτόν τον λίγο μελετημένο αλιευτικό κλάδο. / Small-scale fisheries are an important fisheries sector in Greece and the Mediterranean. They are characterized by high heterogeneity and a multitude of particularities. The management of small-scale fisheries requires taking into account biological as well as social and economical elements. In the present study, a typology of Greek small-scale fisheries was developed based on biological, social and economical parameters. Consequently, the study focused in the Patraikos Gulf, where elements such as the fishing activity of the local fleet, catch and catch per unit of effort, species composition, discards and length composition of individuals caught were examined. The prefectures of Greece were stratified considering the number of fishermen and local dependence on fisheries and interviews of fishermen were carried out. The multitude of fishing gears and target species and the intense spatial heterogeneity was confirmed. The major activity pattern identified was seasonal (20 days of activity in summer, 13 in winter), however local particularities arose. The main métiers practiced were identified as combinations of fishing gear, target species, area and season. Concerning socio-economical elements, the fishermen generally had low education, high average age, tendency to remain in their place of birth and the profession is attached to the family. The fishermen were categorized into three dependence groups, based on the percentage of income originating from fisheries. Significant differences were identified among these groups considering variables such as mean fishermen age, vessel size, days of activity and income from fishing. Consequently, the small-scale fisheries of the Patraikos Gulf were studied using data from sampling of fishing operations. The catch weighted about 12 Kg per operation on average and a total of 102 species were recorded. A methodology for the identification of métiers using a limited dataset, as is often the case in the Mediterranean, was developed. The métiers identified showed significant differences in catch quantity and composition and were grouped in meta-métiers to facilitate fishing activity sampling schemes. The study of discards revealed three reasons for discarding: low commercial value (78% of discards), destruction of the catch before gear retrieval (5%) and bad handling of the catch o board (17%). High discard ratio was recorded for the longline and small-size mesh trammel net métiers. Using data of individual length per species comparisons were carried out among métiers and seasons that in most cases revealed significant differences. The study of the effect of minimum landing sizes legislation showed a low percentage of undersized individuals regarding both the legislation currently in effect and the proposed one by the Roadmap for the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union, but exceptions arose for certain species. The present work is the foothold for the development of a methodology for studying small-scale fisheries in Greece and for carrying out comparative studies in a European scale concerning this understudied fishing sector.