Results based management as applied to fisheries in the reform of the European common fishery policy

Abstract

The European Common Fisheries Policy is under reform. The Green Paper identifies the form of regulating management of the European fisheries as one of the main reasons for which the process of management is ineffective at achieving its objectives and at fitting an ecosystem based management approach. This thesis analyzed the innovative concept of results-based management as applied in fisheries as one alternative to move away from the current regulation process; and linked this RBM concept with the concept of reversing the burden of proof towards fishermen. In order to do that, I choose case study research method with the purpose of exemplifying the practical implications of a fisheries management process to which results based management is applied. I described the Galician Goose Barnacle Fishery in a manner that has allowed me to contrast its management system pattern with the combined bottom-up and top-down conceptual pattern of results-based management. Results suggested there are matches between both so this fact permitted me to look at and discuss about practical implications that this new paradigm has when it comes to be applied. Discussion was also taken around potentialities and limitations that this model has when it comes to be transferred to another European fisheries context. Finally, the thesis concludes that Galician Goose Barnacle is indeed an exemplar of Results Based Management. Furthermore, it is concluded that effective authority-users agreement requires new forms of fruitful interaction between authorities, industry and researchers in order the management system and the regulations of the management process became adapted to the resource specificities and to each context.