Essential Primary Industries: Farming, Marine Resources, Timber, and Fisheries

Livestock Farming Systems

Extensive Livestock Farming (Pasture-Based)

Animals are kept outdoors and feed on natural pastures. This is an extensive livestock system primarily intended for meat production.

Intensive Livestock Farming (Feedlot)

Cattle are concentrated in barns and farms and fed artificial feed. This is an intensive breeding system employing advanced technology.

Semi-Intensive Livestock Farming

This is a mixed system of cattle ranching. Cattle stay outdoors in summer and graze on grass; during grass shortages, they are kept in stables and fed with feed.

Nomadic Livestock Farming

Characterized by the continuous mobility of pastoralists and their herds in search of natural pasture.

Transhumant Livestock Farming

Involves the seasonal movement of pastoralists with their herds from winter pastures to summer pastures and vice versa.

Sedentary Livestock Farming

Cattle do not move to find food; it is provided by the farmer.

Uses of the Sea

The sea offers a multitude of resources and functions:

• Natural Resources: Algae, minerals, energy sources, common salt, and potable water.
• Energy Production: Tidal movement produces electricity.
• Communication and Transport: The sea serves as a vital communication and transport route.
• Coastal Development: Its importance has led to intensive occupation of coastal areas for industries, ports, and other developments.

Forestry and Logging

Logging is the economic exploitation of forests. Timber is typically the most exploited forest product. Beyond timber, forests offer a wide range of other products, including cork and resin.

Forestry is the cultivation and management of forests and mountainous areas. Its objectives include producing various forest products while ensuring the regeneration and conservation of forest ecosystems.

The annual volume of extracted products often makes it challenging to rely solely on natural tree growth for replenishment, necessitating planned afforestation efforts. Forestry plans also aim to repopulate burned areas that have lost their vegetation, often using indigenous species to restore the ecosystem.

Fishing Industry and Practices

Fishing is the activity of catching fish and other aquatic species for food or as raw material. The instruments used are called gear (e.g., bait, nets), and various techniques are employed.

Classification of Fisheries

Fisheries can be classified according to several criteria:

• By Location:
  • Coastal Fishing (Inshore): Conducted near the coast.
  • Offshore Fishing (Deep Sea): Carried out further out at sea, often for several months.
• By Depth:
  • Surface Fishing: Operates at depths of no more than 200 meters, targeting species like tuna, sardines, and anchovies.
  • Bottom Fishing: Conducted at depths of 600 to 700 meters, catching species such as cod and hake.
• By Mobility of Gear:
  • Mobile Gear: Gear that moves (e.g., trawls).
  • Fixed Gear: Gear that remains stationary (e.g., traps, longlines).

Types of Fishing Operations

Inshore Fishing

This type of fishing is conducted on the continental shelf, typically in waters up to 200 meters deep. These areas are characterized by favorable physical conditions and an abundance of plankton, which serves as food for various fish species. Fish, shellfish, and crustaceans are commonly caught using low-tonnage vessels for trips lasting one to several days.

Deep-Sea Fishing

Deep-sea fishing operations utilize large vessels with extensive crews for voyages lasting weeks or even months. Catches are often processed, frozen, and stored directly on board the ships. Notable deep-sea fishing areas include the waters off Namibia and the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, renowned for cod fishing. Common gear includes bait and various types of nets. Modern deep-sea fishing frequently employs radar for efficient location of fish shoals.