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Abstract

The English Channel is one of the world's busiest sea areas with intense shipping and port activity juxtaposed with recreation, communications and important conservation areas. Opportunities for marine renewable energy vie with existing activities for space. The current governance of the English Channel is reviewed and found to lack integration between countries, sectors, legislation and scientific research. Recent developments within the EU's marine management frameworks are significantly altering our approach to marine governance and this paper explores the implications of these new approaches to management of the English Channel. Existing mechanisms for cross-Channel science and potential benefits of an English Channel scale perspective are considered. In conclusion, current management practices are considered against the 12 Malawi Principles of the ecosystem approach resulting in proposals for enhancing governance of the region through science at the scale of the English Channel.

DOI

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.02.020

Publication Date

2015-03-26

Publication Title

Mar Pollut Bull

Volume

95

Issue

2

First Page

707

Last Page

718

Embargo Period

2016-03-26

Organisational Unit

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Keywords

Ecosystem approach, English Channel, Governance, Integration, Marine, Marine spatial planning, Conservation of Natural Resources, Ecosystem, Environmental Policy, France, Government, Renewable Energy, Science, Ships

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