The role of science in fisheries management in Europe: from Mode 1 to Mode 2

Abstract

The transformation of fisheries science in an applied context (‘Mode 2’) sciences is controversial within the scientific community. To investigate this issue, the conceptual shift from ‘traditional academic science’ (Mode 1 science) to ‘modern post-academic science’ (Mode 2 science) is used. The paper uses EU fisheries science with focus on ICES research as illustration for gaining new insights in the consequences and dilemmas of the transformation, in regards to the production of knowledge for policy-making in fisheries management. Hence the main question to be discussed in this paper is: what does the new kind of more applied ‘Mode 2 science’ mean for reliability, credibility, trustworthiness and quality assurance? This study, therefore, mainly demonstrates what such a transformation may imply to the scientific community and what consequences it might have for the way fisheries science is practised, and perceived in a political context.