How to govern a wind farm - mariculture interaction: Is a co-management approach useful?
In offshore waters of the North Sea multiple stakeholder activities are increasing in both type and intensity. Newcomers such as offshore wind farming make for additional claims and exclude or confine, to current legal restraint pertaining to the offshore waters, former uses such as traditional fisheries. In this context, an integration of marine aquaculture within designated wind farm areas creates scope to combine two industries within the framework of a multiple-use concept. This paper addresses the perceptions of members of the wind farming and mussel fishery society towards this multiple-use scheme and assesses the usefulness of a co-management approach to govern potential interacting wind farm -- mariculture activities. Preliminary findings suggest co-management to be a suitable approach for overcoming some of the domains of uncertainty perceived as such by members of the wind farming and mussel fishery sector. The approach may act as basis for negotiating agreements and defining binding regulations for the shared use of the ocean.
Helmholtz Research Programs > MARCOPOLI (2004-2008) > CO4-Observation and information for coastal management