Incorporating Fisheries Interests in National Oceans Policymaking

The principal aim of national oceans policymaking is to identify and assess all current and future uses of ocean spaces and resources in order to facilitate the making of effective management arrangements for them. There are a myriad of actual and potential uses of the oceans. They can lead to a range of potentially conflicting interests across different sectors. This means that it is a daunting and politically fraught task to integrate management of all ocean uses. Fisheries is a key sector that must feature in any effective national oceans policy. This is because fishing is the most intensive use of marine space and resources and the fishing industry is a key contributor to many national economies. A challenge for the incorporation of fisheries interests in national oceans policymaking is that fisheries is a diverse sector. In addition to commercial fishing, it includes recreational fishing and, in some countries, indigenous and subsistence fishing. Fishing also has an international and regional dimension and it overlaps with aquaculture. This article identifies the range of fisheries interests and considers how they are incorporated into national oceans policymaking, focusing on Australia and Canada.