title: Marine governance in the English Channel (La Manche): Linking science and management.
abstract: The English Channel is one of the world's busiest sea areas with intense shipping and port activity juxtaposed with recreation, communications and important conservation areas. Opportunities for marine renewable energy vie with existing activities for space. The current governance of the English Channel is reviewed and found to lack integration between countries, sectors, legislation and scientific research. Recent developments within the EU's marine management frameworks are significantly altering our approach to marine governance and this paper explores the implications of these new approaches to management of the English Channel. Existing mechanisms for cross-Channel science and potential benefits of an English Channel scale perspective are considered. In conclusion, current management practices are considered against the 12 Malawi Principles of the ecosystem approach resulting in proposals for enhancing governance of the region through science at the scale of the English Channel.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Marine and Coastal Policy Research, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK. Electronic address: gglegg@plymouth.ac.uk.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Glegg
authors.affiliation: Centre for Marine and Coastal Policy Research, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK; RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK. Electronic address: rebecca.jefferson@rspb.org.uk.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jefferson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Marine and Coastal Policy Research, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK. Electronic address: steve.fletcher@plymouth.ac.uk.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fletcher
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D017753:Ecosystem; D058735:Environmental Policy; D005602:France; D006076:Government; D059205:Renewable Energy; D012586:Science; D012767:Ships / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Ecosystem approach; English Channel; Governance; Integration; Marine; Marine spatial planning