Since 2001, co-management in the octopus fishery has been
carried out in Asturias, establishing a management plan in
agreement between the fisheries department and the fishermen.
Previous experiences of co-management in the sustainable
use of small-scale benthic fisheries had been successful with
other invertebrate fishing resources (Castilla, 1994; Castilla and
Fernandez, 1998; Castilla and Defeo, 2001). Since 2001, O. vulgaris
management in Asturias has included a minimum closed
season of 3 months and a minimum capture weight of 1000 g.
With these management measures, it is hoped to guarantee the
protection of octopus recruitment and the survival of an adequate
number of breeding adults at the end of each fishing season. The
management plan also includes the establishment of the way
for biologists and fishing managers to monitor octopus landings
during the fishing season.