Normative Science

Effectively resolving the typical fisheries policy issue requires providing an array of scientific information to decision-makers. In my experience, the ability of scientists (and scientific information) to constructively inform fisheries policy deliberations has been diminished when what is offered as “science†is inculcated with policy preferences. As with all human activity, the scientific enterprise is not free of values, nor is it objectively independent, but values reflected in subtle form as policy preferences should not be permitted to prejudice scientific information. Scientific information becomes “normative†when it contains tacit policy preferences and thus, by extension, promotes particular policy options. There are many examples of normative science corrupting the development of sound fisheries policy by operating under the guise of policy-neutral science. In fact, with its tacitly derived value and preference character, normative science provides little substantive help in reconciling the most divisive elements of fisheries policy. In my opinion, scientists should play the important role of “informing†fisheries policy discussions with unbiased, understandable scientific information, assessments, and forecasts. For developing sound fisheries policy, science is important, helpful, even essential, but involvement with policy issues by a naive scientist can lead to loss of credibility and perceived independence unless the proper roles of both science and policy are understood and followed.