Recommendations made on marine policy options

Policies to improve the environmental status of marine areas must take into account the variability and complexity of such areas, their open access and the time it takes to effect changes, according to an EU consultancy report published this week.

The report should help member states prepare programmes of measures under the marine strategy framework directive. These plans, which must be finalised by 2015, are intended to help marine areas reach 'good environmental status' by 2020.

The authors, led by environmental consultancy Arcadis, compiled a database of about 140 possible measures and analysed five in more detail. They conclude that member states considering translating policies from other regions need to tread carefully and should give thought to the scale at which these policies are applied.

The consultancy also recommends that policymakers get the backing of stakeholders and seek “win-win” measures, such as energy savings for ships and ecolabels for fish products, wherever possible because of the difficulty of regulating marine areas.

Follow-up:

Consultancy report (commissioned by DG Environment)