| 1. |
- Johansson, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Mitigating a social conflict between seal, conservation and fisheries in the Baltic Sea : multilevel and synergistic approaches
- 2022
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The conflict between seal conservation and fisheries in the Baltic Sea has becomeremarkably serious and threatens the existence of coastal fishing activities in theBaltic Sea. Seals cause significant catch losses, gear damage and various types ofhidden damages and losses. In particular, reports of damage caused by the grey seal,the largest and most common seal species in the Baltic Sea, have increaseddrastically with the growth of the seal population. Even though a wide range oftechnical mitigation measures have been developed, the seal-fishery conflict has notbeen adequately resolved. Technical means alone do not provide an adequatesolution for the growing grey seal population and involve considerable costs andadditional work to fishers. Successful management of the conflict requires a widerange of locally tailored management tools and the political will to implement them.In the Regional solutions for mitigating seal-fishery conflict in the Baltic Sea -Interdisciplinary synthesis (RESOCO) project, funded by the Fisheries Co-operationof the Nordic Council of Ministers, the usefulness of existing and emerging sealconflict mitigation and management tools was compiled. Tools were classified intofour groups: technological solutions, population management, economic measures,and institutional instruments. The outcome of the synthesis "Mitigating a socialconflict between seal, conservation and fisheries in the Baltic Sea: multilevel andsynergistic approaches" is based on a wide range of material, including reports fromvarious projects, scientific publications, and interviews with key stakeholders. Thesynthesis also includes examples of real-life cases in the mitigation of seal-fisheryconflict from Finland, Åland Islands, Sweden, Denmark, and Estonia.The key message is that mitigation of seal-fishery conflict requires not only a broadknowledge base but also better understanding between key stakeholders,particularly between the coastal fisheries sector and conservation organizations.Furthermore, reconciliation between conflicting parties requires a wide range ofgovernance actions and the political will to implement them. At the heart of thisreconciliation is the acceptability and legitimacy of different means and solutions forconflict mitigation.The synthesis assesses the interconnections of tools and means and identifiespossible combinations of these tools to effectively move forward. To support thenecessary decisions, not only insight into the scale and significance of the problemsbut also information on alternative governance arrangements and their applicabilityin different situations is needed.International agreements play an important role in the management of and affectnational room for manoeuvring in the mitigation of the conflict. At the national level,coordination between the use of fishing grounds and the protection of seals requirescross-sectoral agreement on objectives, means and implementation. When bothresource and environmental sectors have a clear understanding and guidelines, it iseasier to agree on the use of appropriate combinations of measures andresponsibilities. National seal management plans can support both national andregional planning and participatory decision-making on the application of different5Page 6management measures in practice. However, progress requires solutions andmeasures in the wider Baltic Sea setting. International coordination, co-operation,and the exchange of best practices between the Baltic Sea countries areprerequisites to success in mitigating the conflic
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| 2. |
- Phillipson, Jeremy, et al.
(author)
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Fisheries local action groups, small-scale fisheries and territorial development
- 2024
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In: SOCIOLOGIA RURALIS. - 0038-0199 .- 1467-9523.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In comparison to the wealth of critical evaluation of LEADER (i.e., Liaison entre actions de developpement de l'economie rurale), there has been no consolidated attempt to reflect on the contribution of Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs), now entering their third EU programming period. Set up in the image of LEADER, and a novel governance instrument within the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), FLAGs aim to activate local responses that build resilience and adaptability within the fisheries sector and wider communities. In addition to introducing the accompanying articles that make up this special issue of Sociologia Ruralis, our article gives an account of the emergence of community-led local development (CLLD) in fisheries and the attributes that have characterised the application of the LEADER approach within a fisheries-territorial development context. In many cases, FLAGs have led to improved relationships between the small-scale fishing sector and wider local social and economic networks, helping the sector reimagine its role within local economies. Yet outcomes vary as the FLAG approach has been applied across different cultural and institutional settings. There are indications that the system is becoming enveloped by wider priorities of coastal development and blue growth. Yet FLAGs may well provide a successful test case for widening participation in the CFP and upscaling integration of the fishing industry within local and regional economies. For CLLD in general, they are a reminder of the value of a differentiated CLLD approach tailored to different sectoral-territorial contexts.
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| 3. |
- Salmi, Pekka, et al.
(author)
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A new hope for small-scale fisheries through local action groups? Comparing Finnish and Swedish experiences
- 2022
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In: Maritime Studies. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1872-7859 .- 2212-9790. ; 21, s. 309-323
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- New forms of institutional support within modern multi-level fisheries governance are urgently needed to address the decline of coastal and inland fisheries. The EU-funded Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) initiative promises new hope to small-scale fishers by channelling support for the development of local fishing communities. This paper analyses the potential of FLAGs to contribute towards revitalizing small-scale fisheries in Nordic settings. Drawing on documents, surveys and interviews, we compare the implementation of FLAGs in Finland and Sweden. These countries were selected for analysis because they exhibit major differences in the implementation of FLAGs, alongside similarities in their coastal fisheries and social contexts. A special structural feature in Sweden is that FLAGs have been entirely integrated into Local Action Groups set up under the LEADER programme, an EU initiative that supports development projects in rural, coastal and urban areas. As a result, fisheries issues that used to be addressed by sectoral fishery groups are now subsumed into broader territorial initiatives. In Finland, the FLAG system still comprises independent fishery groups, which collaborate with LEADER groups. Our comparison of the two cases demonstrates the importance of dedicated institutional support for small-scale fisheries to enable them to access funding opportunities provided by the EU’s FLAG initiative. Our comparative perspective enables conclusions to be drawn regarding the pros and cons of different approaches to the implementation of this hierarchical funding system, and the extent to which they can help restore fishers’ self-reliance and benefit local fishing livelihoods.
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| 4. |
- Salmi, Pekka, et al.
(author)
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Societal transformations and governance challenges of coastal small-scale fisheries in the Northern Baltic Sea.
- 2023
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In: Ocean Governance : Knowledge Systems, Policy Foundations and Thematic Analyses. - Cham : Springer. - 9783031207402 ; , s. 295-317
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Our chapter adds a northern dimension to the discussion about the past, present and future of small-scale fisheries and their governance. For centuries, extraction of fish resources has been of utmost importance in many coastal areas of the Baltic Sea and small-scale fisheries have survived due to the robustness of the social institutions that have helped them adapt throughout periods of economic and social upheaval. Lately, the fishing livelihood has been undergoing a continuous process of contraction and concentration in terms of vessel numbers and employment. Leisure use of water areas, nature conservation and science-based governance systems have challenged fishers’ access to fish resources. Especially in the northern parts of the Baltic Sea, the viability and future of coastal small-scale fisheries is severely challenged by problems caused by fish-eating animals, mainly grey seals and cormorants. We draw upon interactive governance theory to compare experiences on Finnish and Swedish small-scale fisheries governance. Our conclusion is that the present governance system is incompatible with the small-scale fisheries context, and propose creating new co-governance arrangements where small-scale fishers’ interests, values and local knowledge are better integrated into a governance system.
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| 5. |
- Svels, Kristina, et al.
(author)
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Second homes and the commons : Terms for second home leaseholds and collective action in Kvarken Archipelago, Finland
- 2018
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In: The Routledge handbook of second home tourism and mobilities. - London : Routledge. - 9781138678316 - 9781315559056 ; , s. 39-51
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In the Kvarken Archipelago in western Finland, land elevation occurs as a result of the latest ice age. Here the elevation is approximately 0.8-0.9 cm per year creating 1 km2 of land yearly in the shallow archipelago. This new land becomes an economic and social resource for the local stakeholders in the archipelago. As it accrues automatically to the commons (local land ownership organisations constituted through Finnish law), access to the land resources becomes an issue of local governance. There are roughly 20,000 second homes in the Ostrobothnian region, many of which are located on leaseholds on emergent land. Most of the power of negotiation of access and leasehold contract engineering lies with the part-owners of the commons. Part-owners enjoy both more generous access to and fairer pricing of leaseholds, leading to a concentration of locals in the seaside second home areas. Second home leaseholders, at least those without part-ownership in the commons, have very limited opportunities to participate in decision-making processes regarding their leaseholds, and they are to a large extent excluded from the social management of the resource system. This has visible traces in the second home landscape as e.g. incitement and possibilities for renovation and upkeep differs, and in some areas the situation is conflictual. In this chapter, we explore the second home owners' experiences of the implications of land elevation and the social management of the emergent land practised by the commons. Through interviews with representatives of the commons, and with second home owners (both leasers and those who own their plot), the aim is to understand the roles of the different stakeholders in the negotiation of access to second home plots, and management of the resource system made up by attractive emergent land.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Svels, Kristina, et al.
(author)
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The commons and emergent land in Kvarken Archipelago, Finland : governing an expanding recreational resource
- 2018
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In: Fennia. - Helsingfors : GEOGRAPHICAL SOC FINLAND. - 1798-5617. ; 196:2, s. 154-167
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this article, we explore governance structures of the recreational landscape of Kvarken Archipelago in Western Finland, an area where shore displacement occurs due to land rise and emergent (pristine) land is continuously created. Traditionally a production landscape, of fishing and small-scale agriculture, the recreational value of the archipelago has been acknowledged. The area is a popular second home destination and was designated UNESCO World Heritage in 2006. There are roughly 10,000 second homes within the study area, of which 14% are leaseholds located on emergent land. The emergent land thus makes up a common-pool resource system where private and collective use rights overlap. This article aims to understand the implications for recreational use (second home ownership) through interviews with different local stakeholders such as municipality planners, representatives of commons, local communities, and with environmental and land survey authorities. Especially, it sets out to ask, what kinds of value are created within the recreational resource system, what power relationships within the commons steer the management of the recreational resource system, and what are the implications for recreational use of the landscape. The results show different logics of recreational resource management locally in the studied commons. Access to second homes located within the collectively owned emergent land is limited to part-owners of the commons and tend to be less commercialized and also less modernized than privately owned second home plots.
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| 8. |
- Åberg, Kajsa G., 1974-, et al.
(author)
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Destination development in Ostrobothnia : great expectations of less involvement
- 2018
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism. - Abingdon : Routledge. - 1502-2250 .- 1502-2269. ; , s. S7-S23
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Multi-actor involvement and cooperation are emphasized elements of destination development. Whereas prior research has addressed challenges involved in creating inclusive structures and trust through bottom-up approaches, this paper’s focus is on the less explored attitude of acceptance of a top-down structure. The case study of Ostrobothnia in Finland shows a regional destination organization that went from broad involvement to less inclusiveness and transparency. Through interviews with public and private stakeholders, it was found that the formal exclusion was accepted by all actors, even those who were excluded, based on their common high expectations of enhanced effectiveness of the new organization. Building on institutional theory and inclusiveness, it is suggested that the long-lasting formal collaboration had created the trust needed among the stakeholders for a new, lean management to replace the old. However, lasting formal collaboration may also lead to development of informal networks that hinder further interaction. Any formal collaboration or partnership between the public and private sectors therefore needs to acknowledge the local socio-political context to overcome established social hierarchies and open up for new influences. Co-determination should be held as a potential solution rather than an imposed structure, as it depends on expectations and local conditions.
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