Local empowerment through the creation of coastal space?

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Developments in national fisheries and marine environmental policies during the last 30 years have changed the relationship between coastal communities and the marine resources that people in these communities traditionally harvested. In Norway, for example, when the state authorities have made decisions to defend what they regard as national interests, the local level has been left with authority over minor issues related to area planning in the coastal zone. Although coastal planning until recently was about sharing fishing areas between different users, we now see a spatial dimension emerging in planning, giving it a much broader scope. The processes of defining spatial properties and creating coastal space as a governable object have the potential to empower local communities. These processes contribute to enhanced local control and improved local participation in the governance of natural resources. In Norway, the 2008 Planning and Building Act strengthened the role of municipalities in local planning. In addition, the application of a new three-dimensional, spatial approach to coastal planning may create opportunities for new control over local resources. In marine spatial planning (MSP) the natural resources are seen as part of coastal spatial properties; thus, governing of sea space implies resource governance. As our examples illustrate, considerable power is associated with the ability to identify and define the properties of coastal space. MSP could become an important tool for controlling local resources, rebuilding collapsed fisheries, and managing them sustainably at the level of municipalities.

Introduction to the Special Feature on rebuilding fisheries and threatened communities

“…That said, it is Broderstad and Eythórsson (2014), Johnsen and Hersoug (2014), Bennett et al (2014), Pinkerton et al (2014), and Foley and McCay (2014) who concretely address the issue of how power is tied to geographical and temporal scale and management, and only Bennett et al (2014) and Pinkerton et al (2014) expressly offer recommendations for alleviating some of the injustices that can (and often do) result from these kinds of scale and power disconnects.…”

“…Finally, like Bennett et al (2014), they point to flexibility as crucial to any long-term strategy and observe how climate change can be a factor for good or ill, depending on the nature of the ecosystem shift that it triggers. Johnsen and Hersoug (2014), in a second Norwegian study, discuss the complexities and challenges of power structures and local (versus global) control. In a potent argument for the principle of subsidiarity (control of fishery governance by those adjacent to the resource), they recognize that this is an ideal rather than an easily achievable outcome under current conditions of globalization and the consequent focus of national governments on the international marketplace.…”

“…Bennett et al (2014), Broderstad and Eythórsson (2014), Foley and McCay (2014), Johnsen and Hersoug (2014), Nayak et al (2014), Paterson and Kainge (2014), Power et al (2014), and Pinkerton et al (2014) examine issues of complexity, class exploitation, use and property rights, levels and scales of governance, youth, relationships between local and scientific knowledge, often dwindling access to resources, and control over management of local and First Nation communities. They share concerns that many communities and people (who are on the frontlines grappling with major shifts in the social-ecological systems of which they are a part) are at risk of having their vulnerability enhanced by management initiatives and organizational and market changes triggered by, or concurrent with, these changes.…”

“…Ten addressed the first question (Bennett et al 2014, Blythe et al 2014, Broderstad and Eythórsson 2014, Dawe and Schneider 2014, Foley and McCay 2014, Johnsen and Hersoug 2014, Nayak et al 2014, Paterson and Kainge 2014, Pinkerton et al 2014, Power et al 2014; nine addressed the second question either directly or implicitly (Bennett et al 2014, Blythe et al 2014, Brodestad and Eythórsson 2014, Foley and McCay 2014, Lowitt 2014, Nayak et al 2014, Paterson and Kainge 2014, Pinkerton et al 2014, Power et al 2014; and eight implicitly addressed the last question (Bennett et al 2014, Broderstad and Eythórsson 2014, Foley and McCay 2014, Johnsen and Hersoug 2014, Nayak et al 2014, Paterson and Kainge 2014, Pinkerton et al 2014, Power et al 2014.…”

Creating political spaces at sea – governmentalisation and governability in Norwegian fisheries

“…The model describes the Norwegian fisheries governance system as stable relationships, but the model is an ideal type description of functions and does not capture how the world is (Holm 1996, Johnsen et al, 2009a, Johnsen 2014.…”