Undermining the integrated maritime policy

Area of Science:

• Marine Policy and Governance
• Fisheries Management
• Environmental Science

Background:

• The European Union's Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) seeks to coordinate sectoral policies to prevent the degradation of European seas.
• Current policy approaches exhibit inconsistencies, hindering effective governance and marine ecosystem health.
• Divergent values between sectors, particularly fisheries and environmental advocacy, impede integrated decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the conflict between the Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) and the EU's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
• To identify the primary barriers to achieving integrated maritime governance.
• To propose a pathway for aligning fisheries policy with broader marine regeneration objectives.

Main Methods:

• Policy analysis of the EU's Integrated Maritime Policy and Common Fisheries Policy.
• Examination of the underlying values and objectives driving different sectoral interests.
• Identification of governance failures and inconsistencies in policy implementation.

Main Results:

• The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) operates independently of the IMP, prioritizing resource exploitation over ecosystem health.
• The commercial imperative of the fisheries sector conflicts with environmental goals for marine regeneration.
• The existing Fisheries Regulation mandates exploitation, undermining the holistic aims of the IMP.

Conclusions:

• A fundamental shift is needed in the EU's fisheries policy to incorporate values beyond immediate economic benefit.
• Aligning the CFP with the IMP's objectives is essential for coherent policy and marine ecosystem recovery.
• Reforming fisheries management is critical to support the regeneration of European seas.