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Abstract:
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"There is ample evidence for human alteration of Europe’s regional seas, particularly the enclosed or partly enclosed Baltic, Black, Mediterranean, and North Seas. Accounts of habitat and biodiversity loss, pollution, and the decline of fish stocks in these economically, socially, and ecologically important seas demonstrate unsustainable use of the marine environment. At the same time, there is an insufficient quantity and quality of information to enable purely evidence-based management of Europe’s seas despite this being a declared goal of many decision-makers; for example, less than 10% of the deep sea has been systematically explored. Evidence-based management alone is rarely possible in situations with complex value-laden policy options, and unfortunately, many of the most pervasive problems in the marine environment are 'wicked' second-order problems: they are complex in nature and their management will often involve both winners and losers. Solutions to these problems involve less politically attractive, value-based choices and may require long time lags before tangible results are observed. Fisheries management, habitat and species protection, competition for marine space, and invasive species are all examples of 'wicked' problems. These are some of the biggest issues facing Europe’s seas and are the major focus of this article and Special Feature."
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