Experiences with Fisheries Co-Management in Europe

Fisheries management in Europe is confronted by a situation of exceptional complexity such as is found nowhere else in the world. Not only is the coastline highly fragmented and deeply indented, with much of the marine space separated off into distinctive semi-enclosed areas like the Baltic, North, Mediterranean and Black seas, but responsibility for fisheries management is also divided among a large and growing number of coastal states

Ireland

The Irish Republic is essentially an island state. Its long, irregular and in parts deeply incised coastline shelters nearly 900 ports, small harbours and landing places — though many lack the basic infrastructure for handling regular consignments of fish. At the time of entry into the EU in 1973, Ireland’s fisheries were seriously undervalued, weakly developed and poorly organised. Landings totalled a mere 85,500 tonnes. Over the past quarter of a century, while some Member States have faced declining landings and increasing pressures to reduce fishing capacity, Ireland has experienced a period of new investment, vigorous modernisation and strong growth in fishing activity. By 1997, landings had more than tripled to circa 300,000 tonnes. Nonetheless, fishing still accounted for no more than 1% of GDP and employment