Högskolan i Skövde

The context of fisheries management, according to recent studies, tends to be complex, uncertain and controversial and it cannot be adequately addressed based on work done within the “linear” science-policy interface (SPI). It is believed that moving towards a more participatory and “collaborative” SPI model would favour implementation of more efficient economic incentives to reduce the fishing fleet capacity and bring the actual fishing mortality closer to the levels considered to be sustainable. Focusing the participatory research basically on fish biology and fish stock assessment seems to be too narrow while, on the other hand, it does not embrace many other important issues of contemporary fisheries management. It is suggested that further involvement of stakeholders into the full-scale bio-economic modelling based participatory research would contribute to better understanding of the dynamics of human natural interface concerned and, consequently, would improve the consensus between different interests.