Water, Marine & Fisheries

Our Work

European policies play an important role in regulating the uses of the marine environment and protecting marine biodiversity and ecosystem services. Such policies include the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Birds and Habitats Directives. Our work in marine policy has included analysing the implementation of marine protected areas in Europe and the funding opportunities for supporting marine environmental protection. We have also been at the forefront of research into EU policies to tackle marine litter pollution and are involved in analysing the impacts of marine renewable energy production on species and habitats.

Our work also includes a major contribution to policy analysis for future European marine policy within the 7th Research Framework Project KnowSeas – Knowledge-based Sustainable Management for Europe's Regional Seas. The aim of this work was to increase the evidence base available for decision makers and to facilitate the practical implementation of the Ecosystem Approach.

Regarding work in this area, please contact Stephanie Newman.

More about our work in this area...

Latest in Marine Policy

  • Socio-economic benefits of EU Marine Protected Areas

    They are more than just a nature conservation tool – a study by IEEP shows how EU Marine Protected Areas help to maintain and improve the provision of a wide range of ecosystem services and related socio-economic benefits.

  • Benefits of marine protected areas in the context of EU’s Natura 2000 network

    A scoping study by IEEP outlines a step-wise methodology to assess the overall benefits provided by the EU’s marine Natura 2000 network.

  • New open access book on marine litter

    A new book, 'Marine Anthropogenic Litter', has been published comprising 16 chapters on various aspects of the complex issue of litter in the world’s oceans. Researchers from IEEP contributed a chapter on the economics of marine litter. The whole book is free to view online.

  • Paper on the challenges of taking account of long timescales in the management of Europe’s regional seas

    There many physical, biological and social characteristics of marine systems which are slow to change. Understanding these is important if marine managers are to develop effective targets and measures to deliver environmental improvements.

  • The Manual: Chapter 5 - Water and marine

    This is a chapter of IEEP’s Manual of European Environmental Policy. In this chapter the development of EU water pollution policy is explored, including the Water Framework Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and other directives and policies covering flooding; water scarcity; and dangerous substances in water.

  • The Manual: Chapter 13 - Sectoral policies

    This is a chapter of IEEP’s Manual of European Environmental Policy. This chapter sets out the development of some of the most important links between EU environmental policy and other policy areas, such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, transport, trade, and so on.

  • Challenges of achieving good environmental status in the Black Sea

    Achieving Good Environmental Status in the Black Sea is particularly challenging due to governance structure. This paper explores this in relation to eutrophication and fisheries management.

  • Environmental policy and the UK’s review of the EU Balance of Competences

    The UK Government’s Balance of Competences review has now taken evidence on 25 subject areas, including the 6 with the most relevance for the Environment. We take stock of the IEEP’s contributions, and consider what a possible UK renegotiation might mean for the environment.

  • 40 years of cooperation in protecting the Baltic Sea

    IEEP’s Marianne Kettunen gave a presentation at the Helsinki Convention (HELCOM) Jubilee Session on the understanding and valuation of marine ecosystem services, Helsinki, 5 Mar 2014.

  • Understanding and valuing ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea

    IEEP’s Marianne Kettunen outlined key perspectives on the valuation of coastal and marine ecosystem services in a regional workshop on the Valuation of Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Services in the Baltic Sea, Stockholm (7-8 Nov 2013)

  • Biodiversity proofing of the EU budget

    This study shows how more can be done to firstly avoid and minimize detrimental impacts of EU funding on biodiversity, and secondly to increase biodiversity benefits.

  • The Ecosystem Approach in Marine Management

    The Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires Member States to apply an “ecosystem approach to marine management”. This report defines the ecosystem approach and puts it into context by describing the challenges of applying it across Europe’s seas.

Highlights