Abstract
Mee, L., P. Cooper, A. Kannen, A. J. Gilbert, and T. O'Higgins. 2015. Sustaining Europe’s seas as coupled social-ecological systems. Ecology and Society 20(1): 1. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-07143-200101
Highlights
There is ample evidence for human alteration of Europe’s regional seas, the enclosed or partly enclosed Baltic, Black, Mediterranean, and North Seas
We examined three perspectives of the overall system: (1) its legitimate human uses, as described in the EU Integrated Maritime Policy; (2) the major environmental issues in the regional seas within the scope of the EU MSFD; and (3) issues that require solutions that transcend the boundaries of the EU
A scale for marine management has proven more difficult to resolve, the MSFD is characterized by predominantly natural boundaries and a regional approach that interfaces with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) to consider many land-based activities
Summary
There is ample evidence for human alteration of Europe’s regional seas, the enclosed or partly enclosed Baltic, Black, Mediterranean, and North Seas. The overall array of measures has the potential to ensure the sustainable use of Europe’s seas and the restoration of marine environments, but the pathway between the current situation and the implementation of an ecosystem approach to management (the aspiration of the European Commission; see Our Approach to Research) is fraught with “wicked” problems.
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