The future of Europe's fisheries: Towards a 2020 vision

Launched in 1983, the Common Fisheries Polio, (CFP) has failed in its most important task of stemming the decline in key commercial fish stocks in EU waters. Several factors have contributed to this failure, including the nature of fisheries advice, the behaviour of fishermen and weaknesses in the EU's system of governance. As a result the CFP has become an unstable, reactive and short-term system of crisis management, culminating in emergency recovery plans for certain key species. With the CFP review in 2002 providing an opportunity for fundamental changes, the article outlines three possible lines of development: an ecosystem approach based on the premise that the only, guarantee for the sustainability of fish stocks lies in maintaining a robust marine ecosystem; decentralisation of policy, making through the creation of regional advisory committees; and stakeholder participation whereby fishing and marine conservation interests are incorporated in the policy process.