posted on 2024-02-06, 09:47authored byAukje Coers, Jesper Raakjær, Christian Olesen
No abstracts are to be cited without prior reference to the author.
Regional Advisory Councils were as part of the 2002 reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) introduced to increase stakeholder participation in fisheries management in the EU. In the up-coming reform of the CFP the role of the RACs and lessons learnt so far will be evaluated as well as their future roll is up for discussion in the reform process. The paper will reflect the lessons learnt of the PRAC and these will be compared with the thoughts presented in the Green paper (CEC 2009). The paper will analyse and discuss different roles the RACs could have in the future (e.g. becoming a Regional Management Council, as lately indicated by Commissioner Joe Borg). This idea is likely a reaction to consultative processes not always being driven by responsible behaviour among participants. Thus, transforming RACs into RMCs is seen as an alternative way to provide an incentive to increase responsible behaviour among the involved stakeholders. In the EU, Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) have been introduced as part of the post 2002 reform to increase stakeholder participation and enhance democracy and efficiency of the CFP (CEC 2001a). It is not straightforward to transform RACs into RMCs and it will inherently lead to a radical institutional change in the mode of operation for RACs. Based on the experiences from the P-RAC, the paper will assess whether a changed role for the RACs from being purely advisory to becoming a body holding management authority is feasible and/or desirable. In addition, the paper will explore alternative roles for the RACs in the context of increased regionalisation and devolution of management responsibilities in the post 2012 CFP
History
Symposia
2009 Annual Science Conference, Berlin, Germany
Session
Theme Session R: Potential changes in the EU common fisheries policy: implications for science
Abstract reference
R:11
Recommended citation
[Authors]. 2009. What should be the role of the RACs in the future: A case study of the Pelagic RAC - Lessons learnt and future directions1. 2009 Annual Science Conference, Berlin, Germany. CM 2009/R:11. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.25074470