Stakeholder Participation in the Polish Baltic Sea Commercial Fishing Fleet

This article explores shifts in participation by artisanal Polish fishermen in management of the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) fishery since accession to the European Union. The European Union works to promote the long-term presence and influence of artisanal fishermen throughout Europe, and entering into the European Union system included an enhanced focus on stakeholder participation in Polish fisheries. However, impacts of this on artisanal fishermen have not been clear. For this project, shifts in participation by Polish artisanal fishermen in existing stakeholder forums were explored. A list of stakeholder groups in the Polish fishery was formulated, and stakeholders from multiple groups were interviewed about the fisheries management process. Participation by artisanal fishermen over time was qualitatively analyzed using inductive content analysis. Interview responses did not suggest that artisanal fishermen have experienced a marked increase in participation in the EU CFP system since accession in 2004. Although an increased number of potential spaces for them to participate exist, project participants did not identify artisanal fishermen as consistently or effectively active within them. This research is timely and important, because it addresses potential impacts of EU accession on artisanal fishermen in Poland. At the same time, descriptions of participation outlined in this paper are preliminary, and are meant to guide further inquiry into stakeholder participation in Polish fisheries management.