Stakeholder participation in the management of North East Atlantic pelagic fish stocks: The future role of the Pelagic Regional Advisory Council in a reformed CFP

When the Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) were created during the last reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in 2002, it was recognised that in addition to the five geographically orientated stakeholder lead advisory bodies, a separate RAC dedicated exclusively to pelagic fisheries was needed because of it being so distinctly different from other fisheries. Pelagic fishing is different mostly due to the fact that the targeted fish species behave in a unique manner by grouping in schools in mid-water unlike other commercially targeted fishes, which typically reside on or near the ocean floor. For this reason, as well as the fact that they are usually widely distributed, researching and managing this dynamic group of fishes across the borders of many countries requires a unique approach. Fortunately, despite these complexities, policy makers have succeeded to establish a reasonably well functioning management framework, which has lead to the situation that most pelagic fish stocks are harvested biologically sustainable. While a majority of Europe's fish stocks still need rebuilding, and the main aim accordingly is to reduce fishing mortality, the current focus for pelagic fish stocks is to improve the performance of already implemented Long Term Management plans in terms of their biological as well as social and economical objectives. This paper reflects upon experiences of the Pelagic Regional Advisory Council (PRAC) in its role as advisor to the EU institutions. Subsequently, in the context of ideas presented in the European Commission's Green paper, the authors discuss the future of the PRAC and conclude that its main development potential lies not with the current EU's CFP reform, but rather should be sought in a wider international context.