Setting an agenda for social science research in fisheries policy in Northern Europe

The fishing industry is undergoing major restructuring driven by fisheries management and policy responses to ecological problems in key stocks. Many commentators and policy makers refer to a "crisis" in fisheries, with a number of commercial species in serious decline and the livelihoods of fishers, especially those in smaller fishing communities, seriously threatened. This paper suggests that while much is known about the ecological and economic aspects of fisheries, the social and cultural impacts of fisheries and their management has been under-researched and is often overlooked in policy. The paper is composed of three sections: firstly, a review of European fisheries policy is presented, highlighting the lack of social objectives; secondly, a review of recent social science literature that addresses social and cultural aspects of fisheries management. Finally, as a result of this review, a number of gaps in the research agenda are identified and potential areas for future work are suggested in order to inform and influence the development of a sustainable fisheries policy. Such work is especially relevant and timely given the current review of the European Common Fisheries Policy, due to be completed by 1st January 2013