Stakeholder preferences for Danish fisheries management of sand eel and Norway pout

Management of the fisheries for non-human consumption species in the North Sea has become increasingly politicised, with a growing number of stakeholders seeking influence over the decision-making process. In relation to management of the sand eel and Norway pout fisheries, two different issues are discussed. Conservationists and fishermen targeting fish for human consumption argue that particularly the sand eel fishery is reducing the forage for sea birds and other fish stocks. In the Norway pout fishery, the clash of interest is a classic example of a conflict within fisheries (national or international) due to large by-catch of primarily haddock and whiting. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) has been applied to evaluate the preference of the various stakeholders for management of these fisheries. The AHP was undertaken through conducting a questionnaire survey supplemented with interviews among 12 stakeholders in Denmark and the UK, representing industry organisations, conservation groups, management authorities and fisheries research institutions.