Europe and Generational Replacement in Fishing: Analysis of the Scarcity of Studies and Proposals for Future Lines of Research

ABSTRACT The fishing sector is facing a major crisis, usually addressed from an economic and/or environmental perspective. However, at least in developed countries, the ageing of fishers and the lack of generational replacement is one of the main challenges to its survival. Although the sector has been calling for this problem to be addressed, there is a dearth of academic work that examines in depth the state of employability and the challenges or conditions of access for young fishers. The aim of this study is to review the existing literature on generational replacement in small‐scale fisheries throughout Europe and to identify the main influencing factors and possible solutions. All this with the ultimate aim of proposing new lines of research that will place this key issue at the centre of the scientific community in order to maintain a productive activity that meets the food needs of the population from a more sustainable perspective and that is deeply rooted and traditional in coastal communities.