The Participatory Role of the Media in Fisheries Governance

Abstract

This chapter considers the role of the British media in European and UK national fisheries governance politics. It is divided into three parts. First, I shall argue that the national print and television media has influenced, and continues to influence, fisheries policy, but that this is largely in the direction of environmentalism and marine conservation, at the expense of fishing. Second, I shall argue that, by contrast, regional newspapers sometimes influence fisheries policy in favour of fishermen. Third, I shall argue that the direct influence exerted by the specialist fishing trade press over fisheries policy is negligible, but that it plays an important role in speaking up for the fishing industry and fisheries-dependent communities.