Who rules the waves? : governance and new institutional arrangements in Dutch fisheries management in the context of the European common fisheries policy

Top down government ruling is perceived as a main contributor to the failure of fisheries management. A change in the governance set up, with a more participatory signature and a change in role and position of the state, the industry and society in fisheries management, is seen as the way for fisheries management to become more effective, efficient and equitable in obtaining its economic, ecological and public goals. Luc van Hoof uses in this thesis experiences in Dutch fisheries management with more participatory policy arrangements, and recent developments in EU fisheries and maritime policy, to look at how fisheries governance will evolve in the coming years and how the Dutch lessons can be of use to others. The trend towards a more participatory governance set up of fisheries management is expected to continue. With a changing role of fishers and NGOs in fisheries policy development questions that surface are questions of how to organise participation: who can participate, who makes the rules and who decides? Secondly a major issue to address is that of globalisation, in terms of fishing, processing and trade and regulation. Thirdly, as fisheries governance is changing, the role of science and the role of scientists has to equally be changed from scientific advise supporting (government) policy development towards co-working with a wider group of stakeholders.