The NSAC emphasises the critical role of fisheries stakeholders in marine spatial planning advocating for early and continuous engagement within the GNSBI
The North Sea Advisory Council (NSAC) has issued comprehensive advice to the Greater North Sea Basin Initiative (GNSBI) and the European Commission, emphasising the crucial need for participatory governance and robust stakeholder engagement in Marine Spatial Planning (MSP).
This advice, approved on June 13, 2025, follows NSAC’s participation in the European Maritime Days in Cork.
Valuing Fisheries in Marine Spatial Planning
The NSAC, a privileged stakeholder body with 20 years of experience, expressed gratitude to GNSBI for recognising the “essential value fisheries have, not only in terms of food security, but also for their contribution to sustainable food systems and conservation of ecosystems.” They stressed the “important role in discussions on societal priorities in terms of healthy and low carbon food provision for climate mitigation, nature protection and energy security.”
It is “critical that they are given appropriate consideration in Marine Spatial Planning (MSP).” The NSAC believes it is “well placed to provide balanced fisheries stakeholder views on emerging topics in marine spatial planning.”
The Council highlights that fisheries often suffer most from the “spatial squeeze,” where traditional fishing grounds are threatened by new activities like offshore wind development, leading to potential disputes. NSAC aims to ensure that “traditional fishing grounds” are “taken into account when planning space for new activities.”
NSAC’s Role and Collaborative Approach
The North Sea Advisory Council is one of 11 ACs established under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform, focusing on demersal fisheries in the North Sea. Composed of 22 member organisations from seven EU Member States, including fishing sectors and environmental NGOs, NSAC provides consensus advice to the European Commission and North Sea Member States. This consensus-driven approach, achieved through “iterative Working Group meetings, where topics are proposed and positions negotiated through open dialogue,” is a special feature of ACs. Where consensus is not possible, “minority positions are recorded, ensuring that no voice is lost or disregarded.”
NSAC views itself as a “key player in MSP processes” due to its ability to assemble relevant EU fisheries representatives and NGOs. This “streamlined access to fisheries stakeholders’ input is an important benefit.” The Council can serve as a platform for “deliberations, negotiations and shaping of a unified position on spatial planning and on how stakeholder engagement is organised for peak effectiveness.”
Addressing Challenges and Promoting Innovation
The NSAC acknowledges the challenges inherent in diverse stakeholder groups with “diametrically opposite views and values.” They stress that “Dialogues require sufficient time, effort and openness on all sides to be able to succeed in reaching the ultimate goal, which is consensus.”
The Council believes that “conflict is not something to be feared but something to be managed and learned from.” With two decades of experience, NSAC has established mechanisms to address divergent positions and continuously seeks improvements. They highlight that “innovation is a key tool that will enable us to not only survive but proactively shape one of the largest sustainability transitions in human history.”
Call for Proactive Stakeholder Engagement in GNSBI
The NSAC strongly encourages GNSBI to adopt “participatory approaches already in the drafting stage of its Stakeholder Engagement Strategy, ensuring early input into the strategy that will speak to and address the needs of relevant stakeholders.” They advocate for “continuous and systematic engagement with consistent communication of results, feedback and targeted open dialogues with stakeholders.”
Accurate and accessible fisheries data is deemed “key for informing MSP.” NSAC suggests that the fishing industry should “consider mapping out their important fishing grounds and making this data available to national administrations and other interested parties for effective governance.”
The NSAC’s recent advice on “Mapping of Important Fishing Grounds” emphasises that “effective and inclusive MSP requires proactive engagement of fisheries stakeholders throughout all project stages.” It also calls for standardising mapping methodologies, combining AIS, VMS, and logbook data, and incorporating social and cultural dimensions for accurate depictions of fishing activity.
The advice recognises GNSBI as an “important platform promoting fair and equitable consideration of societal priorities and actors.” However, NSAC “question[s] the omission of ORE track, giving an impression of ORE being seen as overriding public interest, which we believe should be avoided.”
The NSAC looks forward to “continued engagement both in our meetings and events as well as GNSBI stakeholder processes,” hoping these considerations will guide GNSBI towards a “future-proof and equitable MSP.”