Involving fishers in the development of a fisheries ecosystem plan

An ecosystem-based fisheries management plan for the North Sea was developed using input from fishers and other stakeholders. Stakeholders were interviewed at the start of the process to determine what they wanted out of the North Sea ecosystem and which management tools they preferred. Scientists and modellers then investigated the level and types of management required to achieve these ecosystem states. These results were presented back to stakeholders for comments and feedback before the North Sea fisheries ecosystem plan was finalised. The management tools preferred by fishers were technical measures, effort control and protected areas. Quotas were thought to encourage discarding which they considered a serious threat to the health of the ecosystem. This presentation will provide information on fishers’ perceptions of these management tools and how they thought these could be best implemented.