MareFrame is a project in which Ecosystem-based fisheries management solutions are to be co-developed through discussions between stakeholders, which are led by scientists. It aims to remove the barriers toward the implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries management. FishSec attended the latest meeting this week as a representative of the Baltic Sea Advisory Council.
The project is important to implementing the Common Fisheries Policy, which states that “the CFP shall implement the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management so as to ensure that negative impacts of fishing activities on the marine ecosystem are minimised….taking account of fishing and other human activities”. Thus far, little progress on its implementation has taken place.
Developing fisheries advice for managers which takes into account these interactions and provides an ecosystem overview is a positive step toward enabling more informed decisions to be taken.
During the focused meeting, a number of concrete suggestions relating to the scoping process of what questions should be looked at and the steps needed within a regional context were raised and will be included in the meeting report.
ICES reflected on their own experiences. Since 2003 they have progressively opened up, increased transparency, allowed stakeholders and advice users to become part of the process. In their opinion this has improved the credibility of the advice and helped to build trust while also allowing for a more accountable process to be developed. With the ecosystem approach, stakeholders have to be included at different stages of the advice process and consulted and remain engaged if it is to be a successful management system.