The successful first phase of the Ria de Arousa study was supported by numerous individuals and institutions who generously gave their time and ideas, these include the President of Xunta de Galicia, Alberto Núñez Feijóo; the mayors of Porto do Son, A Pobra do Caramiñal, Ribeira, Boiro and Rianxo; local fishermen and shipowners; entrepreneurs; the Architects Association of Galicia; professors from the departments of geography, architecture, economics and engineering at the universities of A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, ETH Zurich and ETSAB-UPC; the National Asssociation of Canneries; as well as the European Association of Archaeologists and the Spanish National Research Council CSIC.