Bridging The Science-Policy Gap: Round Table Discussion On The Ecosystem Approach To Fisheries Management (Eafm) In The Common Fisheries Policy, Brussels, 27 January 2015

Photo_cetmarSearching for removing the barriers that prevent a more widespread use of an Ecosystem-based Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM), MareFrame has organized a Round Table discussion with the core players in the advisory process of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The attendees, Ernesto Penas -Director for Policy Development and Coordination at the European Commission’s Directorate – General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG – MARE) – , Eskild Kirkegaard – Advisory Committee Chair at the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) – Didier Gascuel -member of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) and Luc Van Hoof- vice-president of the European Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Organisation (EFARO)-, analysed critical issues with representatives of the MareFrame Consortium from the Innovative Fisheries Management (IFM-AUU), University of Tromso (UiT) and the Centro Tecnológico del Mar-Fundación CETMAR.

The debate addressed topics related to emerging challenges, the meaning of EAF advice and how is it used in the decision-making process, what are the alternatives for stakeholders’ engagement and how to create an institutional framework to ensure informed EAF policy decisions.
The output of the meeting will be used for:
– Designing alternatives to improve the EAF advice in the European Union
– Facilitating communication about needs and constraints for an effective implementation of the EAF
– Promoting the debate among main players regarding the advice process (European Commission, ICES, STECF, JRC and Advisory Councils), towards a final Workshop to be hold in November
– Achieving the MareFrame strategic goals (available at this Website).
The meeting was held at the Fundación Galicia-Europa headquarters in Brussels. The MareFrame Consortium wish to acknowledge both the Fundación staff and the Galician Regional Government for their support in the organization of the event.

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