Recovery Plans and the Balancing of Fishing Capacity and Fishing Possibilities: Path Dependence in the Common Fisheries Policy

Abstract

The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) of the European Union (EU) has for long been accused of being unable to provide sustainable fisheries or actually in itself being an obstacle to this. Not least the inability of the CFP to achieve a sustainable balance between available resources and fishing capacity has been an issue of debate. By looking at the historical development of the implementation of the structural and conservation policies, this chapter sets out to provide an understanding of why the EU has for long been unable to choose another course in its fisheries policy. A key aspect in relation to this is the path dependence of the system, which has to a great extent made any real reform attempts unsuccessful. Nevertheless, based on recent changes in relation to the political cleavages between member states and the outcome of the CFP reform of 2002, the chapter describes how the evermore present resource crisis has opened a window-of-opportunity which makes a change in course possible. This is to some extent evidenced by the adoption of a series of recovery plans. Whether this will be enough to provide for a bright future of the CFP is, however, questionable.