Session chairs:
Kevin Knight (Australia)
Ian Davies (UK)
Simon Webb (UK)
Session D discusses examples of scientific advice and required institutional structures for scientific advisory processes to support the development of regulations, standards and guidelines, e.g. to enhance sustainable use and/or conservation of marine areas.
National and international organizations and academia are actively pursuing ecosystem-based science that generates valuable knowledge to inform policymaking and marine planning. In addition, social sciences are also adding the human dimensions to such initiatives. Formalized advisory processes are used to assess ecosystem risks and impacts resulting from the pressures of human activities in the formulation of management and ecosystem objectives in the marine environment. In regulatory frameworks, however, the performance of the management system needs a better understanding of the effectiveness of the implemented technical measures and the factors that may undermine the effectiveness of such measures. Technical specifications and standards set the operational constraints and conditions under which a given measure is to perform effectively. Although those involved in regulatory frameworks are most often concerned with compliance, it is the conformity to technical specifications and standards that provides assurance that the implemented measure will perform effectively.
Questions considered in this session:
Do we currently have the science and technical research to underpin the development of regulations, standards and guidelines?
What type of technical and engineering expertise would be needed for such technical advisory processes?
What national or international institutional structure would be needed to provide such advice and ensure the independence of such advice?
