CEVIS
Comparative
Evaluations of Innovative Solutions in European Fisheries
Management
CEVIS ended October 2008.
Background
The European Common Fisheries Policy is a centralised
‘command and control’ regime that is widely regarded by the
fishing industry, the conservation community and other
interested groups as having been less effective than it
could have been in respect to both biological and economic
sustainability. In response to these challenges a number
of innovative approaches to fisheries management have
emerged, which among others include; greater participation
by stakeholders in management decisions, longer term
planning horizons, more precisely defined access rights, and
self-regulation techniques for controlling fishing
activities. These innovations are available for
implementation however, to ensure appropriate choices of
management regimes under the European Common Fisheries
Policy, a thorough study of the various options must be
conducted. This study is CEVIS.
While the term “innovations” indicate that these approaches
to management have not been used extensively in Europe,
these are not new or untested ideas in fisheries
management. However, it is critical that the outcomes of CEVIS reflect new research and knowledge and not simply a
restatement of the opinions that partners had when they
began the project.
Framework
CEVIS
examines four types of regime level innovations: the use of
participatory approaches to fisheries governance;
rights-based regimes; effort-control regimes and
decision-rule systems. These innovations are assessed in
respect to four general management objectives: biological
robustness; economic efficiency; the cost effectiveness of
management activities; and social robustness. The four
regime level innovations measured against the four general
management objectives define
the CEVIS research’s conceptual framework.
The conceptual framework is tested against four
European Test Cases. However, before these case studies
begin the research will take a close look at
International Cases of innovative fisheries management
in other developed countries. Visits will be made to four
places outside the EU that have similar fisheries and have
implemented these four types of innovations.
The project will benefit
from the involvement of the CEVIS
Advisory
Board consisting of a number of internationally
renowned scientists.
Products
CEVIS has two final products. The first is an Innovation
Evaluation Framework made up of indicators of inputs and
outcomes in relation to the four general management
objectives. This will be an aid to fisheries managers
wishing to assess the suitability of possible changes in EU
fisheries management practice. The second is a report based
on the case studies that evaluates this specific set of
potential regime-level innovations for use in EU fisheries
management.
The developed framework will make it possible for managers
to evaluate the extent to which any given management system
will contribute positively to attaining Common Fisheries
Policy objectives. A range of options for implementing
cost-effective and participatory management systems will be
provided and finally, the CEVIS project will help fishery
managers to be better informed about the ecological, social
and economic consequences of implementing any particular
management regime.
This website has been developed with financial support from
the Commission of the European Communities, specific RTD
programme “Specific Support to Policies”,
SSP4-2004-Instrument 8.1.B.1.3. “Modernisation and
sustainability of fisheries, including aquaculture based
production systems.” It does not necessarily reflect its
views and in no way anticipates the Commission’s future
policy in this area.
Contract Number 022686
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