Stakeholders' participation in the decision-making process: Scottish inshore fishers' perceptions of involvement

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Public participation is a key ingredient of good governance and there are many advantages of involving stakeholders in the decision-making process. The involvement of the fishing industry in decision-making results, among others things, in an enhancement of the legitimacy of management policies, and an increased acceptance of management arrangements. The European Commission identified the lack of stakeholder involvement as one of the major weaknesses of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). As such, the 2002 Reform of the CFP aimed at improving its system of governance by increasing the involvement of stakeholder in decisionmaking. Over the last decade, Scottish inshore waters have seen an increase in management measures focused on involving fishers, delegating responsibilities and decentralizing management. The present document aimed at gauging inshore commercial fishers’ perceptions of participation in management and the acceptance of a new regional management measure, implemented in 2008, which will cover all inshore waters – the Inshore Fisheries Groups (IFGs) – and is aimed at improving the management of inshore fisheries and to give commercial inshore fishers a strong voice in wider marine management developments. A survey was conducted, through face-to-face interviews, and the reasons that influence fishers’ perceptions identified. The present analysis concluded that, five years subsequent to the reform of the CFP, the majority of fishers perceive not to be consulted or involved in the decision-making process. Nonetheless, most fishers have a positive attitude towards the new IFGs, being of the opinion it will improve fisheries management in their local area.