Fisheries & the Marine Environment
The marine environment covers two-thirds of the Earth's surface. It is the planet's powerhouse and constitutes an essential source of resources. But the natural systems and resources provided by the marine environment are under increasing pressure. High population densities and levels of industrialisation in Europe significantly increase environmental pressures.
Fishing and mariculture (eg. fish farming) both affect and are affected by the state of the marine environment. Two of the most widespread human activities in the marine environment, directly and indirectly employing over half a million people in Europe, they are a significant threat in all of the European sea regions. Many commercial fish stocks in European waters are not assessed. For those that are assessed, 33-60 per cent of commercial stocks in the North-East Atlantic are outside safe biological limits, with those in the Baltic and West Irish Seas in a somewhat better shape than others. In the Mediterranean, the percentage of stocks recorded to be outside safe biological limits range from 10 to 20 per cent, but data are too insufficient to make a good assessment.
The fisheries team works on a range of policy issues that have environmental implications within EU fisheries and fisheries in which the EU plays a role. Because of the nature of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), attention is focused on marine capture and culture fisheries. Research areas cover issues that are both cross-cutting at a European level, as well as those that are specific to individual Member States. In addition to 'core' fisheries policy work, IEEP has been involved in projects examining the interactions between fisheries and nature conservation policy, and has worked on the European Fisheries Fund, the Maritime Policy and the Marine Strategy Directive and their implications for the environment.
The fisheries team undertakes projects for both external sponsors and clients and on our own initiative, and offers the following services:
- we undertake research and policy studies, including international comparisons of policies relating to fisheries and marine issues, contributions to policy development and implementation and evaluation studies;
- we provide advice and information to a wide range of organisations such as UK agencies and commissions of inquiry as well as the public. This includes reports, briefings and policy notes, and provision of expert input;
- we disseminate information, research findings and policy insights on fisheries and related policies within the EU, other European countries and beyond. Publications include El Anzuelo, a biannual European newsletter on fisheries and the environment first published in 1998; and
- we organise international conferences and small-scale seminars, bringing together policy-makers, practitioners and other stakeholders to address current issues affecting fisheries and marine policy.
We undertake work for a range of clients including the European Commission, central government departments and agencies, and non-governmental organisations. For a complete list of our reports that relate to fisheries and the marine environment, please select 'fisheries' and or 'marine' from our quick search menu on our publications page.
For interviews, comment and articles, please contact our policy specialists Koen Van den Bossche and Indrani Lutchman