Marine Fisheries Enhancement Stakeholders

Stakeholder Involvement in Fisheries Enhancements

Most enhancements remain weak in four particular areas -- fishery stock assessments and modeling, establishing a governance framework, adaptive management of stocking, and involvement of stakeholders in planning and execution of stocking programs (this topic is discussed in the Responsible Approach Update - by Lorenzen, Leber & Blankenship, 2010). Consturctive engagement with stakeholdrs through a decision making process that is participatory, structured, and makes good use of science is crucial to the successful development or reform of enhancements.

  • Stakeholder engagement brings stakeholder's intimate knowledge of the fishery system into the decision process, builds trust and encourages commitment to decision outcomes.
  • Real decision processes are always a compromise and the goal of reaching a balanced descision acceptable to stakeholders may take precedence over strict adherence to a process.
  • All relevant and interested stakeholders should be engaged: both primary (those, like fishers and aquaculture producers, whose actions directly impact enhancement outcomes) and secondary (those who have a legitimate interest but no direct impact)
  • At a minimum, enhancement stakeholders include individuals or organizations involved in fisheries, aquaculture, conservation, regulatory agencies, and scientists.