Diverging strategies to planning an ecologically coherent network of MPAs in the North Sea: the roles of advocacy, evidence and pragmatism in the face of uncertainty.

摘要: The North Sea is one of the most economically important seas in world due to productive fisheries, extensive oil and gas fields, busy shipping routes, marine renewable energy development recreational activity. Unsurprisingly, therefore, use protected areas (here defined widely include fisheries closed no-take reserves) its management has generated considerable controversy-particularly with regards design a regional ecologically coherent MPA network meet international obligations. Drawing on three processes currently occurring UK Sea, we examine real-world problems that make designation networks challenging. political include: disagreement among (and within) sectors over policy objectives priorities, common access resources at EU level increasing scale which decisions have be made lack an integrated strategy for implementing Sea. scientific patchy knowledge benthic assemblages, limited fishing gear-habitat interactions, increased risk unforeseen externalities if human activity (predominantly fishing) displaced from newly sites. Diverging stakeholder attitudes these means there no consensus what ecological coherence actually means. Ultimately, caution against 'quick-fix' solutions are based advocacy targets, as they create confusion undermine trust planning process. We argue more pragmatic approach protection embraces complexity social arena made.