Past and future challenges in managing European seas

Blenckner, Thorsten, Kannen, Andreas, Barausse, Alberto, Fischer, Christian, Heymans, Johanna J., Luisetti, Tiziana, Todorova, Valentin, Valman, Matilda and Mee, Laurence (2015) Past and future challenges in managing European seas. Ecology and Society, 20 (1). ISSN 1708-3087

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Abstract

Marine environments have undergone large-scale changes in recent decades as a result of multiple anthropogenic pressures, such as overfishing, eutrophication, habitat fragmentation, etc., causing often nonlinear ecosystem responses. At the same time, management institutions lack the appropriate measures to address these abrupt transformations. We focus on existing examples from social–ecological systems of European seas that can be used to inform and advise future management. Examples from the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea on long-term ecosystem changes caused by eutrophication and fisheries, as well as changes in management institutions, illustrate nonlinear dynamics in social–ecological systems. Furthermore, we present two major future challenges, i.e., climate change and energy intensification, that could further increase the potential for nonlinear changes in the near future. Practical tools to address these challenges are presented, such as ensuring learning, flexibility, and networking in decision-making processes across sectors and scales. A combination of risk analysis with a scenario-planning approach might help to identify the risks of ecosystem changes early on and may frame societal changes to inform decision-making structures to proactively prevent drastic surprises in European seas.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: ecosystem-based management,regime shifts,scenarios,sdg 13 - climate action,sdg 14 - life below water ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Collaborative Centre for Sustainable Use of the Seas
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Depositing User: Pure Connector
Date Deposited: 14 Feb 2017 02:24
Last Modified: 22 Oct 2022 02:18
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/62542
DOI: 10.5751/ES-07246-200140

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