Information Is the Jam of the Western Baltic Herring Sandwich: Bridging Gaps Between Policy, Stakeholders and Science

The management of the herring fishery in the Skagerrak-Kattegat and Western Baltic is challenging because of the complex dynamics of several herring populations with different migration patterns and population dynamics and a complex fleet structure fishing for herring. To address these complexities and policy issues related to management areas and EU borders, management has become increasingly complex and non-transparent. The Case Study (CS) explores how things could be simplified and rationalised by developing a Multi-Annual Management Plan (MAMP – previously referred to as Long-Term Management Plan (LTMP)) that could provide predictability and stability. Industry stakeholders from two Advisory Councils (the Pelagic and Baltic Sea ACs), representatives from management, from national governments and the EU, and scientists collaborated to improve stock management by developing a robust MAMP. A common understanding of relevant scientific and political issues is a prerequisite for the successful formulation and implementation of a MAMP. The CS focused on getting all relevant stakeholders involved and successfully engaged the European fishing industry through the ACs and, to some extent, the management bodies involved within the EU. The two ACs have only limited overlap in their membership. Until this CS came about, there was very little collaboration in providing advice on Western Baltic Spring Spawning (WBSS) herring management. With the opportunity to collectively formulate management objectives for the fishery, the two ACs, science partners and management representatives narrowed the gaps between stakeholders. In this chapter, we review the achievements of the project and analyse the effectiveness of the collaborative process and how it affected the individual endeavours of the scientific and stakeholder groups. The chapter describes the process of creating an arena where a management framework and procedures could be discussed by all involved so as to establish a communication platform for setting objectives, management clauses and evaluation criteria for the requested MAMP. We also reflect on the concept of the ‘GAP Method’ and how such science-management-stakeholder collaboration can contribute to overall fisheries governance.