The aim of this meeting is to explore how social and economic information is being used in practice to reconcile environmental programmes and to understand the range of issues that this is raising and highlight possible solutions; the meeting will focus on practical delivery issues.

Objectives

• To provide an overview of social and economic tools and their application in the marine environment
• To clarify what social means in the marine environment
• To look at the practicalities and guidance needed in relation to the use social science tools and their application
• To look at how ‘socio-economics’ and in particular how economic tools – impact assessment, cost benefit analysis and ecosystem services are being applied
• To focus on the practical lessons from the current work on the application of social and economic tools in the marine environment.

Introduction

The main reason social and economic issues are being more routinely in marine work is due to the routine application of sustainability in practice which considers social, economic and environmental issues together. More pressingly the use of the term socio-economics to qualify environmental programmes and user development arises from the major legislative drivers including MCZs, MSP, The Marine Strategy Framework Directive, The Water Framework Directive and Habitats Directive.

The main method people use to apply sustainability in the marine environment is the Ecosystems Approach and socio-economics is prominent in this context. Human activity is clearly an integral part of the environment and the recent elaboration of ecosystem services extends this idea to a wide variety of natural capital as well and societal interests. The conference will hear from a very wide range of practitioners who will be asked to highlight the key practical lessons from their work to help inform a more systematic approach to socio-economics in the future.

Speakers

Ian Dickie - eftec
Clive Gilbert - Consultant
Steve Freeman - EMU Ltd
Mel Austen - PML and MMO
Sian Rees - Marine Institute, University of Plymouth
Justine Saunders - ABPmer
Peter Kershaw - Cefas
Peter Barham - Sea Bed Users Developers Group
Paul Gilliland - MMO

For details of the standard sponsorship package contact Bob Earll on 01531 890415 or bob.earll@coastms.co.uk