Over the last few months, the Swedish system for dealing with marine conservation, fisheries management and aspects of water quality has been scrutinised in an investigation to see whether it would be preferable to house all of these tasks under the same roof, much in the footsteps of a score of other nations and the EU Commission. The investigation was published on 4 February, concluding that this would indeed be the best way forward.
It seems as if a new Government agency will be created, bringing a range of management issues together to provide a more integrated and cost effective way of dealing with Sweden’s extensive fresh and marine waters. It has already been claimed for Gothenburg, the current site of the Swedish Board of Fisheries, but also the centre for much of Sweden’s marine research and monitoring. No firm decision has been made, but the timetable is ambitious with the new agency opening in January 2011 if supporters have their way.
The prospect is good news to a range of interest groups in Sweden that has been calling for better integration and a less sectorial approach to our seas for years. One of the first tasks of this new authority may well be to implement the results of another public investigation recently started, looking at a new approach to Marine Spatial Planning in Sweden.
Meanwhile, another report presented to Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Eskil Erlandsson, “The future organisation of certain fisheries issues”, suggested that issues related to the fisheries industry, aquaculture and angling would not be handled by the new agency, but would be transferred to the Swedish Board of Agriculture.
That would also include the Swedish “operative fisheries programme”, e.g. TAC and technical measures negotiations and administration.
