Effective governance structures, policies, and economic incentives can promote sustainable fisheries practices and ensure equitable distribution of benefits among stakeholders. Fisheries policies, such the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), aim to balance economic and social objectives with environmental sustainability goals. These are implemented through evidence-based fisheries management plans that can contain a detailed roadmap for achieving specific objectives, restrictions on fishing effort and contain specific control rules and technical measures. Economic incentives, such as catch share programs and market-based mechanisms (ecolabelling), can also encourage sustainable fishing practices and provide economic benefits to fishermen and fishing communities. Good governance practices, such as transparency, stakeholder engagement, and collaboration, are critical for ensuring effective fisheries management.

MRAG Europe works across a range of oceanic, coastal and inland environments and has developed practical and theoretical approaches, tools and methods to develop new, and enhance existing governance structures. We have dealt with governance and policy at all levels, from writing legislation and regulations, to testing impacts on sectoral models to judge optimum outcomes for industry, the economy, and the wider environment. The company has provided advice on legislative and policy assessments for the UNDP (UNCLOS) and FAO, RMFOs (IOTC, CCAMLR), and the EU. MRAG Europe has worked with the European Commission under multiple framework contracts to conduct various ex-ante and ex-post policy evaluations for the Common Fisheries Policy, including its external dimensions. This also includes providing specific governance support to help implement the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 within Small Island Developing States.

Projects

Title Region End Date
Adapting postharvest activities in the value chain of fisheries and aquaculture to the effects of climate change and mitigating their climate footprint through the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions

MRAG Europe, as lead partner of a consortium, has been contracted by CINEA within the…

Europe
Cost and benefits of fish stock recovery areas and other effective area-based conservation measures as tools for fisheries management − Case study assessments

The European Union Biodiversity Strategy sets the target for protected areas in the EU…

Europe
Framework Contract for Studies providing scientific advice in support of the Common Fisheries Policy in EU waters excluding the Med & Black Sea in 2 lots. Lot 2: Scientific advice in support of CFP in Atlantic EU western waters & EU outermost regions

This is a framework contract for studies providing scientific advice in support of the…

Europe
Study on ecosystem-based approaches applied to fisheries management under the CFP

Given the complexity of food web interactions, large range of fisheries-species…

Europe
CFP Regionalisation

Regionalisation was established to enable a bottom-up approach to fisheries governance…

Europe
Climate change and the Common Fisheries Policy: adaptation and building resilience to the effects of climate change on fisheries and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from fishing Climate change and the Common Fisheries Policy: adaptation and building resilience to the effects of climate change on fisheries and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from fishing

By 31 December 2022 the European Commission will prepare a report on the functioning…

Europe
Study on state of the art scientific information on the impacts of aquaculture activities in Europe Study on state of the art scientific information on the impacts of aquaculture activities in Europe

Aquaculture is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries and is an increasingly…

Europe
Study on ownership and exclusive rights of fisheries means of production

There is a widespread perception of the EU fishing fleet being owned by a multitude of…

Europe
International Oceans Governance – Scientific support

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) adopted by world leaders in 2015 set the…

Global