Addressing the Governance of Harmful Algal Bloom Impacts: A Case Study of the Scallop Fishery in the Eastern French Coasts of the English Channel
Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) are phenomena that result from alterations to ecosystems. Due to their potential toxicity, the level of danger depends on the species concerned, their frequency and intensity. They can cause impacts on biodiversity and on the anthropic activities that take place in maritim...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/7/948 |
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author | José Antonio Pérez Agúndez Sarra Chenouf Pascal Raux |
author_facet | José Antonio Pérez Agúndez Sarra Chenouf Pascal Raux |
author_sort | José Antonio Pérez Agúndez |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) are phenomena that result from alterations to ecosystems. Due to their potential toxicity, the level of danger depends on the species concerned, their frequency and intensity. They can cause impacts on biodiversity and on the anthropic activities that take place in maritime and coastal areas. Primary industries such as shellfish fisheries are mainly affected. To deal with this issue, the French administration has built a governance system based on two pillars. The first relies on a water quality monitoring system that assesses the risks of HAB contamination of coastal waters. The second is a regulatory system of production and commercial bans of seafood products from the impacted areas. This public action has two objectives. The first is human health-related and aims to protect consumers of seafood. The second is economic-based and aims to minimize the economic impacts associated with the commercial bans suffered by the businesses concerned. These two objectives may appear to be antagonistic. Using the case study of the French scallop fishery in the eastern Channel and based on an analysis of the commercial bans associated with HAB and associated potential economic impacts, this paper analyses the governance scheme dealing with HAB events in France. The authors highlight that this governance is not only a matter of applying administrative closures when toxicity thresholds are exceeded, but is a dynamic decision-making process involving experts and the Administration that attempts to balance acceptable health risks and economic impacts. |
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format | Article |
id | doaj.art-bfad2cf19d0f494091066bcd35b60550 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2077-1312 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:16:41Z |
publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
spelling | doaj.art-bfad2cf19d0f494091066bcd35b605502023-12-01T22:19:34ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122022-07-0110794810.3390/jmse10070948Addressing the Governance of Harmful Algal Bloom Impacts: A Case Study of the Scallop Fishery in the Eastern French Coasts of the English ChannelJosé Antonio Pérez Agúndez0Sarra Chenouf1Pascal Raux2Ifremer, Univ Brest, CNRS, UMR 6308, AMURE, Unité d’Economie Maritime, IUEM, F-29280 Plouzané, FranceUniv Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, UMR 6308, AMURE, IUEM, F-29280 Plouzané, FranceUniv Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, UMR 6308, AMURE, IUEM, F-29280 Plouzané, FranceHarmful Algal Blooms (HAB) are phenomena that result from alterations to ecosystems. Due to their potential toxicity, the level of danger depends on the species concerned, their frequency and intensity. They can cause impacts on biodiversity and on the anthropic activities that take place in maritime and coastal areas. Primary industries such as shellfish fisheries are mainly affected. To deal with this issue, the French administration has built a governance system based on two pillars. The first relies on a water quality monitoring system that assesses the risks of HAB contamination of coastal waters. The second is a regulatory system of production and commercial bans of seafood products from the impacted areas. This public action has two objectives. The first is human health-related and aims to protect consumers of seafood. The second is economic-based and aims to minimize the economic impacts associated with the commercial bans suffered by the businesses concerned. These two objectives may appear to be antagonistic. Using the case study of the French scallop fishery in the eastern Channel and based on an analysis of the commercial bans associated with HAB and associated potential economic impacts, this paper analyses the governance scheme dealing with HAB events in France. The authors highlight that this governance is not only a matter of applying administrative closures when toxicity thresholds are exceeded, but is a dynamic decision-making process involving experts and the Administration that attempts to balance acceptable health risks and economic impacts.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/7/948HABgovernancemanagementmonitoringbanstoxicity |
spellingShingle | José Antonio Pérez Agúndez Sarra Chenouf Pascal Raux Addressing the Governance of Harmful Algal Bloom Impacts: A Case Study of the Scallop Fishery in the Eastern French Coasts of the English Channel Journal of Marine Science and Engineering HAB governance management monitoring bans toxicity |
title | Addressing the Governance of Harmful Algal Bloom Impacts: A Case Study of the Scallop Fishery in the Eastern French Coasts of the English Channel |
title_full | Addressing the Governance of Harmful Algal Bloom Impacts: A Case Study of the Scallop Fishery in the Eastern French Coasts of the English Channel |
title_fullStr | Addressing the Governance of Harmful Algal Bloom Impacts: A Case Study of the Scallop Fishery in the Eastern French Coasts of the English Channel |
title_full_unstemmed | Addressing the Governance of Harmful Algal Bloom Impacts: A Case Study of the Scallop Fishery in the Eastern French Coasts of the English Channel |
title_short | Addressing the Governance of Harmful Algal Bloom Impacts: A Case Study of the Scallop Fishery in the Eastern French Coasts of the English Channel |
title_sort | addressing the governance of harmful algal bloom impacts a case study of the scallop fishery in the eastern french coasts of the english channel |
topic | HAB governance management monitoring bans toxicity |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/7/948 |
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