ANALISI DELLE PRIME STATISTICHE DELLA PESCA IN ITALIA DA NUOVE FONTI STORICHE (1927-1943).

ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST STATISTICS OF FISHING IN ITALY FROM NEW HISTORICAL SOURCES (1927-1943)

Abstract

Italian fisheries statistics emerged under the Fascist regime as a tool for economic planning aimed at achieving national food self‑sufficiency. Between 1922 and 1943, the first scientific data‑collection methods were introduced, alongside the establishment of dedicated research institutes and the publication of statistical reports in the now little‑known journal Il Corriere della Pesca. Early datasets focused on the canning industry, commercial distribution systems, the decline of traditional fishing technologies, and the rapid expansion of motorized fishing vessels, which were systematically surveyed for the first time between 1924 and 1929. The decline of sail‑powered boats and the rise of steam vessels prompted a 1934 law promoting the construction of motorized vessels. Examination of this grey literature provides a historical perspective on the evolution of the Italian fisheries sector and highlights how, over the past 80 years, policy incentives have shifted from supporting fleet expansion to encouraging vessel decommissioning.