differences in the origin, context and dynamics of nearshore- versus offshore
resource uses (Krause 2003). Whereas in nearshore waters historically well-rooted
social networks with traditional use patterns exist, the offshore waters are dominated by large, often international operating companies with limited social networks
and engagement with each other. The latter can be viewed as holding “pioneer”
mentalities, since the offshore development was initiated with the onset of technical
developments in ship building and platform construction. These fundamental differences between the diverse stakeholders in nearshore and offshore waters make a
streamlined approach to support multi- use management very difficult (Krause
2003; Krause et al. 2011). This finding was reflected by the recent assessment by
the WBGU (2013) that revealed major deficits in the status of ocean governance,
which have yet to catch up with the pace of technological advancements which
allow an intensification of offshore multi-use resource utilisation. This is in part due
to the lack of redundant multi-level institutions in place that are able to communicate local and regional findings in a bottom-up fashion as well as a lack of
instruments in place that support good communication vertically and horizontally
(Fig. 7.1).
To date, the offshore wind farm operators, perceiving themselves as pioneers,
hold “client” ties with the decision-makers, in which other users (such as offshore
aquaculture, fisheries, etc.) and their interests are not included in development
considerations. Employing good governance would help to find stakeholder-led
solutions which could be perceived as “win-win” for multiple stakeholders in the
offshore setting, the wind energy operator may improve their public perception
(Gee 2010) and engender greater participation in future decision-making processes
(Turner et al. 2014).
In practice, undertaking the policy cycle exercise is stakeholder-led and provides
a way for actors and players in the offshore aquaculture sector to assess how
complete the policy cycle is in a particular country. The exercise provides a basis to
inform what, if any, gaps exist at different stages of the policy cycle and what the
implications are for effective governance of multi-use approaches to offshore
aquaculture operations.
Thus, identification of actors involved in a policy cycle, as well as its strengths
and weaknesses, can lead to building awareness of the many organisations that can
potentially be involved in offshore aquaculture multi-use governance. Fostering
improved communication and cooperation between these organisations at different
levels should improve the management of the offshore aquaculture sector at a
national level and regionally. Hereby pre-existing social networks can provide
significant political leverage for governance transformations as research for
example from Chile (Gelich et al. 2010) and the Caribbean (Turner et al. 2014) has
shown. Applying good governance principles that includes decisive legislative
bodies to determine the specific constitutional rules to be used, possibly through
marine spatial planning (MSP), can be useful in understanding the institutional
framework required for effective decision-making in multiple-marine resource user
settings.
7 Governance and Offshore Aquaculture in Multi-resource …
157
resource uses (Krause 2003). Whereas in nearshore waters historically well-rooted
social networks with traditional use patterns exist, the offshore waters are dominated by large, often international operating companies with limited social networks
and engagement with each other. The latter can be viewed as holding “pioneer”
mentalities, since the offshore development was initiated with the onset of technical
developments in ship building and platform construction. These fundamental differences between the diverse stakeholders in nearshore and offshore waters make a
streamlined approach to support multi- use management very difficult (Krause
2003; Krause et al. 2011). This finding was reflected by the recent assessment by
the WBGU (2013) that revealed major deficits in the status of ocean governance,
which have yet to catch up with the pace of technological advancements which
allow an intensification of offshore multi-use resource utilisation. This is in part due
to the lack of redundant multi-level institutions in place that are able to communicate local and regional findings in a bottom-up fashion as well as a lack of
instruments in place that support good communication vertically and horizontally
(Fig. 7.1).
To date, the offshore wind farm operators, perceiving themselves as pioneers,
hold “client” ties with the decision-makers, in which other users (such as offshore
aquaculture, fisheries, etc.) and their interests are not included in development
considerations. Employing good governance would help to find stakeholder-led
solutions which could be perceived as “win-win” for multiple stakeholders in the
offshore setting, the wind energy operator may improve their public perception
(Gee 2010) and engender greater participation in future decision-making processes
(Turner et al. 2014).
In practice, undertaking the policy cycle exercise is stakeholder-led and provides
a way for actors and players in the offshore aquaculture sector to assess how
complete the policy cycle is in a particular country. The exercise provides a basis to
inform what, if any, gaps exist at different stages of the policy cycle and what the
implications are for effective governance of multi-use approaches to offshore
aquaculture operations.
Thus, identification of actors involved in a policy cycle, as well as its strengths
and weaknesses, can lead to building awareness of the many organisations that can
potentially be involved in offshore aquaculture multi-use governance. Fostering
improved communication and cooperation between these organisations at different
levels should improve the management of the offshore aquaculture sector at a
national level and regionally. Hereby pre-existing social networks can provide
significant political leverage for governance transformations as research for
example from Chile (Gelich et al. 2010) and the Caribbean (Turner et al. 2014) has
shown. Applying good governance principles that includes decisive legislative
bodies to determine the specific constitutional rules to be used, possibly through
marine spatial planning (MSP), can be useful in understanding the institutional
framework required for effective decision-making in multiple-marine resource user
settings.
7 Governance and Offshore Aquaculture in Multi-resource …
157