RESEARCH ARTICLE “Once upon a Time in the Mediterranean” Long Term Trends of Mediterranean Fisheries Resources Based on Fishers ’ Traditional Ecological Knowledge

We investigate long-term changes in the Mediterranean marine resources driving the trawl fisheries by analysing fishers ’ perceptions (Traditional Ecological Knowledge, TEK) throughout the Mediterranean Sea during the last 80 years. To this end, we conducted an extended set of interviews with experienced fishers that enabled us to classify species (or taxa) as ‘decreasing ’ or ‘increasing ’ both in terms of abundance, as well as average size in the catch. The aspect that most clearly emerged in all the investigated areas over time was the notable increase of fishing capacity indicators, such as engine power and fishing depth range. Atlantic mackerel, poor cod, scorpionfishes, striped seabream, and John Dory dem-onstrated a decreasing trend in the fishers ’ perceived abundance, while Mediterranean par-rotfish, common pandora, cuttlefish, blue and red shrimp, and mullets gave indications of an increasing temporal trend. Although, as a rule, trawler captains did not report any cataclys-mic changes (e.g. extinctions), when they were invited to estimate total catches, a clear de-creasing pattern emerged; this being a notable finding taking into account the steep escalation of fishing efficiency during the past century. The overall deteriorating status o